Rebirth
by Aeoliana
Summary: Upon popular demand, here's a direct continuation to DiaLover "Revised" featuring tons of great Yuuki moments that you don't want to miss. Consider it a season two if you will. (Rated for profanity and mature content.) [Currently Under Construction/Hiatus]
1. Insecurites of a New Born

**A/N:** Ah yes, I have done it again. I've created another abomination and further decide to share it with you lovely readers ;P

"Rebirth" was previously known as "Epilogues and Extras" because it was originally meant to be a short follow up to the original series. As time went on, I realized it deserved a proper title of it's own. This first chapter picks up immediately where "Revised" (_which you should read before starting this_) left off. To recap, it's when Yuuki says that she's feeling thirsty.

I apologize in advance for random changes in point of view, terrible grammar, unbelievable OOC-ishness, etc. Since watching the anime was more than enough torture, I can't push myself to play the games. So this is nearly a hundred percent of my own content. Literally do yourself a favor and look away before your eyes start bleeding. *Runs away in shame*

* * *

**Rebirth**

"Get her a glass of water." Ayato ordered, not unkindly, to no one in particular. His searching gaze remained locked on the fragile creature in front of him.

Subaru nodded and promptly did as was requested. Yuuki, the recently-revived female, could do little else but blink dully as the youngest of the Sakamaki boys teleported to and fro. Her parched throat kept her from voicing her the many questions churning inside her but the intense, growing desire to sate her thirst soon overcame all other thoughts. The others inquired if she was in need of anything else. No. Apparently not. They fell into a hush once more.

"Here you go." Subaru mumbled gruffly upon his return. Her icy fingertips accidentally brushed over his knuckles as the glass transferred between them, making him shiver. She quietly thanked him before taking a large swig.

To everyone's alarm, Yuuki immediately coughed up the mouthful, dropping the glass onto her lap with a small "_Kos_~!"

"Yuu-chan!" Kanato exclaimed as Reiji swiftly plucked the glass away before it could tumble to it's doom.

Shu and Laito nearly jumped out of their socks while Subaru took a step back, shocked. Their panic was abated when they realized that she simply choked in her own haste and was _not_ experiencing some sort of a supernatural withdrawal symptom. After all, when was ingesting cremated ashes - those of a hateful demoness, no less - good for anybody? No one save for the Sacrificial Bride, it seemed.

Ayato pat her on the back with gentle thuds until her violent hacking returned to normal breathing.

"Idiot! Drink it slowly," he commanded. Yuuki, clinging onto his arm for support, hiccuped her affirmative before meekly asking to return to her room.

"You're probably exhausted." Kanato offered. He was slightly annoyed that she spilled water on her new gown but figured that it would do no real harm. "I guess I can play with you later."

"Go change and get some sleep. We'll check up on you once you've fully recovered." Reiji added since he was responsible of the general well being of the household members. Behind him, Shu pointed his nose up at the air and growled. Laito simply shrugged with a knowing smile. Noticing the disturbance, Reiji glanced aside at them before turning back to the girl.

"Ayato can take care of anything else you need assistance with. It seems that the rest of us have to attend to some unfinished business..." Who was he kidding? He'd take care of it but Shu certainly wouldn't.

Missing the second look Reiji shot the eldest of the triplets, Ayato tucked a strand of platinum blonde hair behind her ear. "Can you stand?"

"Mm hmm," she hummed absentmindedly.

Something was off. She felt sick... _Cold_. Like a stone pit burrowed itself inside her chest - like an empty void had been born within the depths of her stomach. Yuuki clutched the neckline of her dress as he slowly helped her get on her feet. Her index and middle fingers traced the scar-less skin where the fatal wound had been just moments ago. Strange. How could she feel so alive and dead at the same time? Her body probably never felt so new and light. And yet it tingled with the need for something. To fill the flawless, cold porcelain shell that she was with _something_. Fear and dread overtook her. What was happening? Why did her soul scream inside its container so?

Ayato escorted her halfway to her room before she faltered. She began to apologize for her light-headedness but he simply rolled his eyes and swooped her into his arms to carry her the rest of the way bridal-style.

"Whoa, pancake. You outta get some more meat on your body. You weigh less than a sack of potatoes."

She lightly flushed the same sherbet shade as her eyes and wrapped her arms around his neck... Wait, what was this? Did this boy have what she so desperately needed?

"I usually swing between ninety and a hundred pounds," she admitted in a low voice.

"Dangerous." Ayato grunted in reply.

"Indeed," she agreed as she nuzzled her face against his jugular vein and began planting soft kisses on his skin. The vampire froze in his tracks. Then he put her down and pulled away from her touch.

"Hey," he said with firm gentleness before she could protest. "Don't get any funny ideas in your head just because you're wearing a wedding dress, Yuuki. You're not really my bride yet."

"I just wanted-" She bit her lip and looked down at her feet shyly. He close his eyes and exhaled with measured restraint. God damn. She was really just too cute for her own good. How could a predator like him resist such a natural tease?

"Come on. Let's get you to bed..."

"Ayato?" Yuuki murmured, her tone troubled, causing him pause.

Lifting her chin, he saw turmoil hidden in her sweet strawberry eyes. She gasped at the touch and he dropped his hand, watching her shift back on her heel. "What's the matter, pancake?"

"N-Nothing." Reading the skepticism on his face, Yuuki stretched her arms out expectantly and innocently quirked her head to the side. "Will you still carry me?"

... How could he say no? He answered with his actions then told her he'd go get a fresh glass for Yuuki, be back in just a minute. The errand might help him cool his head, or at the very least, calm his jittering nerves.

"You always make me do so much extra work, pancake." Ayato joked to himself in order to kill the tension still penetrating the night air. It was an aftertaste of the crisis that they had just avoided. Relief finally set in, but he felt sore from guilt and the nagging idea that they would have to clean up the mess left behind. He sniffed at the thought and faintly smelled the scent of something burning. A fire? Ah. That was the thing that Reiji was referring to, wasn't it? He'll leave the matter to them, then.

Ayato didn't bother knocking. He walked right into the bedroom as if it was nobody's business and was slightly disappointed to find Yuuki already changed into her nightgown. The white dress was delicately laid out on her chair while she sat at the edge of her bed, patiently awaited his return.

"What's your blood type?" Yuuki suddenly asked, staring at her bare knees rather than looking up to acknowledge him or his apparent perverseness.

"Huh?" The door shut loudly behind him, emphasizing his reaction. Random much?

"I'm type O, which is probably why everyone drinks my blood without dying," she continued, unruffled by the gunshot sound he'd caused.

"Heh, you hoping we'd die after a taste?"

"No," she said, shaking her head. 'I don't want you to die."

"You don't?"

"No. Why would I want that when I feel indebted to you? You saved my life. I think... Right? Yes, of course. But I can't remember..." The petite blonde blinked slowly as if trying to clear a fog from her mind and he waited for her to finish her sentence. "I-I know I was there and all, but my memory's evading me. The past few hours, days are a haze."

_Jesus. What's wrong with me?_ She massaged her temples with the pads of her fingertips.

"Ayato, please. Can you tell me what I missed? What exactly is happening to me?"

The vampire frowned at the recent memory. Good. It was better if she didn't remember. It was better if she didn't relieve how Cordelia and Richter tried to hurt her. It was better if she didn't know how close he was to losing her, nor how useless he had been when she needed him most. It wasn't that he refused to give credit to his brothers for everything they had done. He was ashamed of himself... and sort of disliked the idea that Yuuki might feel "indebted" to anyone else, admittedly. He was thankful enough for the both of them. If only he could envelop her inside his embrace forever, protecting her from the entire world and every other sensation.

The girl looked up at him through her lashes as he continued to ponder in a most curious silence. "Ayato?"

"I don't want to talk about it right now."

"Why not?"

He shrugged. "Just 'cuz."

"Please." Yuuki pressed, confused by his childish response.

"Sorry, pancake. Not happening."

She sighed at his secrecy, unable to fully pinpoint the true reason why he stubbornly refused to spill the beans - a desire to exclusively monopolize her and her affections. "From what I can tell, I nearly lost my life today. I think I deserve to know."

"Just drink your damn water and go to sleep, sweetling. You need to rest. It's been a... long night."

Yuuki swallowed as anger and resentment and hurt began constricting in her throat, feeling her eyeballs prickle at the edges. Was the truth really so bad that he could not even bring himself to confide in her? Oh, God!

"Okay. I'll tell you everything," he finally conceded, realizing that he was stressing her out more, before promptly adding, "But only when I feel like it."

His stubborn reluctance pissed her off but at least they found a compromise. Maybe he too needed some time to mull things over. "Fine."

"I'm also type O, by the way." Ayato said as he tried to hand her the neglected crystal tumbler. Answering her initial question seemed to be a good way to do something about her (admittedly adorable) pout. She turned away from him in order to hide all the conflicting emotions storming through her from his knowing gaze.

"..."

Keeping the chilled drops from sloshing out, he swished the water in front of her face.

"Oi." Ayato called impatiently, seeing that she seemed resolved to ignore him. "Are you gonna take it or what?"

Without warning, Yuuki bashed the peace offering out of his grasp with a swift, back-handed slap. The glass whizzed through the air and shattered against the the wall into a thousand sparkling pieces.

"What in good God's name was that for?!" Ayato yelped as the broken tumbler descended onto the floor.

First of all, how dare she so brazenly reject his kindness? And secondly, when did she get so strong to be able to send that thing flying?

"Ah, ahh~" the vampire complained, getting down on his haunches to pick up a shard - only to drop it when it pricked his finger. "Look. The carpet's soaked."

Reiji would not be pleased. Sure, it's not like it really mattered if a glass or two broke - they were easily replaceable. The fact that the wallpaper had been damaged was sure to piss him off, though. If there was too large a stain leftover, they might have to remove it and repaint the entire wall. Not that this cotton candy room couldn't use a little bit of renovation. Yuuki might enjoy taking a break from all the pink and blush tones and graduate to a more mature color palette.

Alright then, he figured as he finished assessing the mess. He'd just leave it alone. Turning back to face her, he saw Yuuki curled up into herself, clenching her fist tightly.

"You okay, pancake?" Ayato kneeled in front of Yuuki and gently pried her fingers open to allow him to stoke the back of her paw soothingly. "Geez, that must have hurt. Don't do things that you're going to regret immediately."

She was till icier than the water he attempted to give her, he noted. He had no real body heat to share - the way she used to. Instead, as a poor excuse as a substitute, he pressed his lips against her hand.

"Ayato."

Green eyes flew up to meet pink. Hers were filled with tears. She looked like she wanted to tear herself apart. Like she was just barely holding back some vicious urge inside her and it was breaking her heart. Ayato reached out to clasp her cheeks and her pupils darkened to a cherry shade.

There it was again - that tug. That scent. So strong and enticing and consuming... Coming from his left index finger? The girl exhaled a breathy gasp but was unable to move away from his caress.

"Shh, calm down. I'm right here. She's gone. Cordelia's gone. It's just the two of us now," the boy assured her despite his own growing panic. He was scared. Scared that she was hurt or afraid. Ayato pulled her off the bed and into a hug. She landed on his lap with her chin resting on his shoulder.

"Forgive me." Yuuki whispered hoarsely.

"For wha-whoa!" A stab of pain cut the words off. Did she just bite him? Holy shit. Every fiber in his body shocked to inaction, completely unable to comprehend the switch in roles.

She was on top of him, pinning him down, unable to stop. She was a ferocious animal without control over herself. She was... She was _possessed_. Her eyes glowed with blood-lust as she dug her new fangs into his raw, virgin flesh.

"Ow! What the hell, pancake?!"

The petite blonde took no heed of his cry. _She _had never asked to be turned into this... this _beast._ Let him taste his own medicine for once! Besides, she already said that she was thirsty.

"Yuuki!"

This was going too far. He needed to change the situation somehow and regain his dominance. Still the stronger one between them, he tried to roll her off of his chest but she would not allow such a thing. He might have been able to prevent her attack if he had not been immobilized by surprise. Now it was utterly too late.

"No! I need this," the vampirette roared, threatening to choke him with his own tie. "I need you. Don't move or I'll kill you."

"I-"

She reattached her mouth to his bloody wound with a menace, smothering his protests instantly. Her fists pulling his unbuttoned shirt towards her so that she could pierce deeper, _harder_ into the place where neck and shoulder met.

Ayato's arms fell limply to his sides in order to avoid hurting her as well as to avoid his own promised doom. It wasn't like she could actually take out an immortal being, but even still...

"Ng, Yuuki. If you don't stop soon, I'm going to faint."

The blonde chuckled, her pupils still a liquid vice. "So what?"

"_So what?_" Ayato repeated, incredulous and disbelieving.

"It's not too bad. Trust me, I would know... And lucky for you, lest you forget, there's a bed right here," she growled into his ear, licking a wayward string of liquid crimson off his neck for good measure.

Damn, that was hot. Thankfully his blood couldn't rush down to his nether regions for the obvious reasons. She resumed her feeding, this time much more gently. Her appetite sated a few moments later, she dropped her head onto his collarbone with a sigh and they lay sprawled on the ground.

"I guess that never happened to you before." Yuuki mused in the aftermath of her meal.

"N-Jesus Christ, pancake." He ran a palm over his face. "Are you insane?"

"You hesitated."

"I remembered how we - Laito and Kanato and me - used to bite each other all the time," he grunted. "Back when we were kids."

Her nose crinkled in mild disgust. "You guys drank each other's blood?"

"No, you powdered donut. If anyone else tried to pull a stunt like this, they'd be six feet under already. Do honestly you even realize what you just did?"

"Powdered donut?"

"Don't judge," he said as his arms wrapped around her midsection. "I'm nearly wiped out and I need energy."

Yuuki yelped as he pushed her off and over and onto the floor, trapping her beneath himself. He shifted his center of balance.

"Maybe I should punish you for your insolence and eat you up instead."

Rather than the flash of annoyance he expected to see, her eyes darkened into an even more dangerous shade. She wiggled out from his hold and he let her go. Once free, she pulled her hair to one side, glancing over her bare shoulder and grinning at him. Ayato returned a weary frown.

"Come to me," the vampirette cooed before getting up from the floor and settling in her bed. The command, despite being all too easy to follow, felt very, very wrong. On so many levels.

"No." Ayato declined none-too-politely.

"Why not?" Yuuki asked, uncertainty coloring her voice at his refusal.

"Weren't you satiated half a second ago? You should be full by now."

"There's no need to hesitate. I only wanted a bit of company."

"Bullshit." He had every reason to hesitate.

She clicked her tongue with a pointed "_tch"_ and he swore he heard her whisper something underneath her breath.

"Excuse me?"

"Sigh. To think that you of all people would scare so easily. Was the experience _that_ traumatizing - being the prey for once?"

"Shut up. I am _not_ scared of a pipsqueak like you."

"Prove it." Yuuki said, loosening the thin ribbon at her chest. She softened her tone so that it sounded less like a challenge and more like a friendly invitation. "Come, darling. Stay with me."

His resolve faltered. "_Fine_. If we're playing your stupid game, we're doing it by my rules."

The mattress heaving underneath him, the vampire climbed on top of her and Yuuki giggled. A strange, sweet musty odor radiated from her underneath the rusty, metallic smell of vampire blood. He sniffed curiously.

"Are you fucking drunk?"

"Hmm... I just drank you a~ll up, you know."

"Ugh. That _woman_." Ayato spat in vexation, recalling the glass of red wine Cordelia had been sipping as she possessed Yuuki's body. No wonder the latter had been acting so recklessly since her Awakening. The alcohol hadn't left her system.

The petite blonde began planting mild kisses where his skin was still tender and red, making him shiver out of his rumination.

"Stop that," he ordered, pulling his shoulder away.

"Does it hurt?"

Ayato glared down at her as best as he could but her presence melted away some of his bitter anger. "Just don't touch me."

She sat up abruptly, forcing him to move back to accommodate her.

"What's wrong? I didn't know you'd be flustered over a little seduction."

"Don't you dare turn into another Cordelia. You're better than that piece of shit."

Yuuki's expression hardened. "Don't curse, Ayato. It's not nice. And don't compare me to that horrid lady either."

"Well then stop acting like her."

"I'm not, you coward. Or maybe you think that sort of thing's reserved for_ your beloved mother_!"

"Why, you-"

Enraged, Ayato snatched a pillow and whacked it across her head without holding back. The petite blonde fell against the padded headboard, where she crumpled up like a wayward child upon impact. A minute ticked past and an awkward silence descended upon the two. When she finally dared look up at him, her face was a tragic painting of regret.

"Oh, Ayato. What have I done?" Yuuki asked in horrified, hushed tones. Behind a film of tears, her eyes were once more a glistening light pink.

The boy just stared at her dumbfounded, unable to give her an answer.

How could he be so stupid? Just a moment ago, he thought he was going to lose her forever. And now he kept pushing her away until the poor girl came to feel that she was the one at fault or undesirable. In reality, he was just trying to cherish her.

Feeling guilty for his behavior, Ayato extracted Yuuki from her mournful location and enveloped her in a hug.

She instinctively returned the embrace, the wordless expression of his apology and affection.

"I've become a monster," the petite blonde cried out between muffled sobs.

"No. We're not monsters, Yuuki." Ayato said as he kissed her hair and the tears running down her cheeks. "We're vampires."

He was far too gentle for her.

"I'm so so sorry," she whimpered as he rocked her back and forth. He was amazed at himself. Nobody had ever done such a thing for him, so he could not say where he'd learned to act in such a way. At least it seemed to be working...

Eventually, her energy was totally depleted.

"I'm tired." Yuuki mumbled, drying off the last of her waterworks.

Ayato yawned a _me too..._

Yuuki snuggled up to him and they found themselves huddled like a couple of penguins under the blanket. She discovered a strange fascination with his hair, to which he playfully grew frustrated. After amusing herself adequately, she felt content to just observe Ayato silently, waiting for drowsiness to set in. This is where she felt safe - secure in Ayato's forgiving arms.

"Thank you."

"What did you say?"

He absently picked at the quickly-healing injury on his neck. At least she was still too young to produce any poison. That might've inflicted some real damage.

"You heard me perfectly fine."

"Nu-uh. Speak clearly, pancake. Or I can't understand."

What she was feeling couldn't be said in words. So she spoke through her actions.

Ayato didn't quite register the fact that she had just pecked him on the lips. It was quick, soft, and chaste, but it utterly undermined his manliness.

"Oi, pancake..." the vampire growled in a mock threat.

Yuuki pretended to be asleep. He smirked and pinched her tiny nose

"Alright, alright. You win this time." Ayato conceded before deciding to follow suit.

Women could be terrifying when they were angry.


	2. Break Down

The first thing Yuuki's vision focused on was a set of faint white scars - fang marks engraved in someone else's skin.

Not yet fully aroused, the girl sleepily thought of the many red incisions she had acquired over time. Her drowsy eyelids drifted shut. Maybe she'll just stay like this for another hour or two, basking under the pleasantly warm sunlight streaming through the curtains. Mm, yes. That seemed like a fantastic idea...

Yuuki felt a sigh ruffling her white gold hair and blinked awake to see Ayato's face literally three inches from hers. And as she tried to frantically recall what exactly had led to this most-terrifying scenario, the memories of the previous night tumbled into her brain in one gigantic mind avalanche.

_JESUS Christ!_

Yuuki sat up with a start. This was no dream. He was the evidence. The split second in which she was forced to acknowledge the facts laid in front of her was so strong, so intense, that she could not choke back the overwhelming feeling of horror that threatened to erupt.

* * *

The rest of the household jumped when ear-splitting shrieks pierced through the mansion, shattering the fragile quiet that had settled during the past few hours.

Laito paused his task of stamping out a few final embers and looked at his alarmed, ash-covered siblings. "What in the world?"

The vampire pack immediately rushed to the crime scene, bursting into Yuuki's room to find a disoriented Ayato smothering her face with his hands to get her to shut up and _calm the hell down_.

"What's going on?!" Kanato screamed energetically, joining the panic despite his exhaustion. Yuuki was sobbing hysterically.

"Ayato, you little shit!" Subaru roared as he tackled his older brother. The two fell off the bed with a loud _thump_, taking a pillow and half of the covers with them.

"No, you've got the wrong idea!" Ayato protested while the oblivious blonde continued screaming bloody murder. "I didn't-_ompf_!"

As the two boys tried to untangle themselves from the bedding, Laito moved to Yuuki's side in order to stop her from tearing her own hair out. She was repeating some sort of mantra in a breathless frenzy.

"No,it'snotpossibleit'snotpossibleit'snot_fucking_possible..."

Kanato's jaw dropped. "Did she just-?"

"That's the first time I've heard her curse." Shu noted with a seemingly apathetic tone. His inability to express his shock outwardly unintentionally translated into indifference to the rest of the group.

"Who's disturbing the peace?" Reiji asked, taking in the chaotic scene as he belatedly joined the others.

Nobody bothered responding since the answer was obvious: Yuuki was having a mental breakdown. And violently so.

He gave the vampirette a withering look. "Anyone care to explain what's wrong with Komori?"

What was wrong with her indeed? How could anyone articulate dehumanized she felt?

Fatigue and hunger had kept any other concerns at bay, such as the painful awareness of her new state. She never felt more violated in her life. Never so wronged. She hugged herself but felt that everywhere she touched was dirty. Stripped of her very essence, her core, her identity.

Who was she now? _What_ was she now? Oh, God_._ Was this really happening to her? No-no-no-no. No. This was _not_ possible.

"Yuuki, stop it." Laito pleaded but her hands were firmly clamped against her ears. Her own wailing was already enough to drown out everyone else.

The others surrounded the girl in order to help subdue her but it only seemed to freak her out further. She kicked Laito in the stomach - which actually hurt since she became far more powerful overnight - and leaped off the mattress. She ran over to the window, dodging Subaru's outstretched arms, and threw the glass doors open.

Ayato grabbed her waist from behind and pulled her back against his chest.

"GET OFF OF ME!"

"Calm down, pancake! It's just me."

"NO! Let. Me. Go."

Yuuki elbowed him hard to free herself from his iron grip. Then she jumped over the balcony.

The others dashed over to the railing, trying to grab her before gravity had time to act. They were a moment too late. Ayato teleported down and attempted to catch her. He witnessed her two-and-a-half story drop in adrenaline-induced slow motion, yet missed by an entire foot.

She landed head first in the worst possible manner on the concrete-hard ground with the loudest possible thud within the audible spectrum. No human could survive such a fall.

The world stopped. Ayato rushed forward.

"Yuuki! Yuuki, are you okay?"

The petite blonde got up without serious injury and sniffled. Her face described the word _heartbreak_ to a T.

"No, Ayato, no," she blurted out. The brothers stirred from their shell-shocked condition. "I can never be okay... I'm a _vampire_."

"STUPID! Never scare me like that again." He squeezed the distressed girl. Although his spluttering was a major blow to his high-and-mighty image, his relief far outweighed any sense of humiliation. "Just because you're immortal now doesn't mean you should try to become a freaking stunt devil!"

He wiped away the scratches on her face with his thumbs. She was numb to the blood and the bruises.

"... Are you seriously_ that_ determined to die, pancake?" Ayato asked more quietly since his throat constricted painfully at the pitiful sight.

Yuuki simply held on to him like a lifeline. Last night's exhaustion had kept her from realizing this nightmare that she would be burdened with forever.

The remaining vampires gawked at the pair before Reiji broke the silence.

"Well... If the morning's entertainment is over, get ready for breakfast."

* * *

**A/N:** The crack is strong in this one. Please don't be taking this seriously.


	3. Tender Rejection

"Yuuki, won't you come down for dinner?" Kanato asked softly from the doorway as if speaking any louder might accidentally break something.

The petite blonde stared at him blankly before shaking her head. It's not like she needed to eat anyway.

He chewed his lower lip in concern. "You sure?"

She nodded and let her eyes wander over him. At least the vague interest indicated that she hadn't turned into a complete zombie.

"... Where's Teddy?" It was a rare sight to not see the toy tucked safely within his arms.

"Repairs," the boy replied with a grimace.

"Oh."

Unable to continue the conversation, he left her alone to join the others. Trying to draw her out of her bedroom was a futile mission in the first place.

"Tch. What a handful, that child." Reiji commented when Kanato reported his failure while readjusting his glasses. The young man's external personality kept him from revealing his actual concern for her.

"I'll just take something up later." Ayato grumbled.

He was in a bad mood since Yuuki had been depressed ever since her last suicide attempt. She wouldn't join him in any activity, neither pushing him away nor ignoring him. Just complete listlessness for days on end. None of the brothers knew how to help her out because they had their own range of problems to deal with. Even their usual dinnertime silence seemed more melancholy than it used to be, back when they hadn't even met Yuuki.

The atmosphere was stifling, so Ayato quickly escaped to visit her.

"Oi, pancake." The red-haired boy sauntered over to where she half-lay, half-sat on her bed as he balanced a silver tray in one hand. "Eat something."

"I can't."

"Yes, you can. You're going to starve at this rate."

The vampirette hesitated. He shoved a bite down the moment that she opened her mouth to respond.

"Don't talk, just eat."

"Ayato," she coughed. "It doesn't taste good. It's like sand."

"Don't complain either when it's your own damn fault." Ayato admonished as he loaded the spoon with some more mashed potatoes.

Had she been in higher spirits in general, the accusation would have earned him a cross glare. As it was, she only gave him a questioning look. How was it her fault? She wasn't the cook. Hell, she hadn't even been the one to go grocery shopping.

"It's because you haven't had any blood lately."

"Huh?"

Ayato used the opportunity to stick the food in her pie-hole again and said, "Vampires need to drink blood in order to savor the taste."

She swallowed obediently. "Oh."

Her monosyllables were exasperating. Where did his normally-vivid pancake run off to?

"Yuuki, how long are you going to keep this up? You're not acting like yourself."

"Ha. It's not like I can do anything about it." Yuuki replied, weakly mustering up some of her former sarcasm to appease him.

Ayato set the tray aside with a dull clatter and sat next to her. "Come on. There must be something to make you feel better."

She pursed her lips and remained silent. He waited for her. For such a demanding and immature person, his uncharacteristic patience was more than enough prodding.

"... I want to see my family."

"Eh?"

"My father. I'm homesick."

His eyebrows knotted in confusion. The desire made no sense to him since he'd always been either neglected or abused by his parents.

"He's not even your real father, though."

"And I was told that I was coming to live with my long-lost relatives."

Ayato laughed out of sheer bewilderment. "What's that random-ass comeback supposed to mean?"

"I'm trying to say that I care about you _even _if we aren't related by blood_. _So why shouldn't I miss the man who raised me_?_"

His expression dropped. "That's a bad joke, Yuuki. We do share the same blood."

She face-palmed when she realized her blunder. What with the organ transplant and the mutual feedings, they both had a physical part of each other running through their veins.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to bring that up."

Ayato pried away her hand from her face and kissed it tenderly without letting go of her gaze. "It's not like I hate it."

"Why wouldn't you? This heart is Cor-"

"Not anymore."

"Alright, even if it's mine now-"

"Wrong again," he said with firm conviction, rubbing the pad of his thumb across her knuckles. "I stole your heart. It's mine now."

Yuuki's smile didn't reach her eyes. She gently pulled her hand away.

"Were you being serious?" Ayato ventured cautiously after a pause. He didn't want to make her retreat any further into herself. She was already enough of a shell.

"... About what?"

"When you said you care about me."

She dropped her head onto his shoulder with an embarrassed groan. "I meant all of you guys, silly. Don't be so possessive."

The response almost made him want to move away, but it's not like he got the chance to stay like this often.

"How am I-?"

"Yes, Ayato." She buried her nose into the crook of his neck. "You're being really, _really_ possessive."

"Well, I'm just stating the truth and I'll say it as many times as you need me to," he mumbled warmly. He nuzzled his cheek against her hair. "_Mine_. Mine alone. You're mine... So you have to take care of yourself."

"No, I am not your anything."

Her tone was flat, without a tinge of sadness or rebelliousness. She was simply stating a fact - not justifying her independence or anything.

"Then marry me."

Yuuki blinked. Twice. Three times. "Say what?"

"Then you'll be my wife."

She laughed coldly. "Ayato, I-"

"I'm dead serious, Yuuki."

The girl grew silent. She seemed to be choosing her next words carefully. "I never dreamed of becoming a sacrificial bride."

"Marrying me is a sacrifice?" He interlaced his fingers with hers, this time refusing to let go. "Am I really that awful?"

"No! No, of course not. But, Ayato, _look_ at us. Look at me. I'm a - a glorious train wreck. We're so young and stupid and..." The vampirette took a shallow breath and shut her eyes. She needed to stop rambling. "Marriage? God. I can't even see a future ahead of me. When I'm like this... Would you be able to make me happy? Could I make you happy?"

"Of course you could."

Yuuki turned her face to examine his impassive expression. At least she was blushing. He was somewhat relieved to see a reaction despite the sting of being rejected.

She planted a kiss on the side of his chin. "I'm sorry, I can't. Not right now. It's asking for too much."

"Someday then." Why was she so freaking depressing all the damn time?

"Maybe. We'll have to see about that."

"Well, you have all the time in the world." Literally.

Ayato stood up and faced her so that his knees were touching her bed. Even though he was hunched over slightly - he had terrible posture at times - the boy towered over the petite blonde. She found that being engulfed in his shadow was strangely comforting. Slightly intimidating, sure, but really quite reassuring all the same.

"But I better get a yes eventually," he said before momentarily swooping down to plant a few soft kisses on her. He withdrew with a cocky-yet-sheepish smirk. "Not every girl gets a chance to be with someone as amazing as me."

The side of Yuuki's lip twitched with a grin, and she pretended the lump in her throat wasn't there. "I know."

Ayato glanced at the door. "Anyway. You better eat something. I'll make sure to get some blood for you to drink next time."

"Oh, please don't hurt some poor fellow."

She knew first-hand what it was like to be victimized by human-esque mosquitoes and wished that the same terrible fate never befell anyone else.

"I can just get some from the hospital or something. The donors don't care where it goes. But I'll warn you - it's guaranteed to be low quality." He stuck his tongue out in disgust, and she giggled despite herself.

"That's fine with me. Thank you."

When Ayato left the room, she immediately buried her face into her hands and exhaled a breath that she was holding back.

_Sometimes it's not the world keeping you from attaining happiness – it's yourself. _Yuuki thought bitterly, unable to follow her own words of wisdom with such a heavy heart.

* * *

**A/N:** I can't help but want to pinch Ayato's little cheeks because he just can't freaking help himself, the cutie... Okay, yeah, sorry - Author tendencies. I have no clue as to how Ayato's actual proposal went so I just made things up and rolled with it. I apologize if this sucks.

Gosh this chapter was depressing. I wasn't intending it to be like this. It just happened. (_I was never in control of this train wreck in the first place exclamation-mark-number-one-number-one.)_ But don't fret, it'll get better. Hopefully =3


	4. Unexpected Friendship with a Freak

Besides the aggressively straightforward Ayato, the one who spent the most time with Yuuki turned out to be... Kanato. Of all possible candidates,_ K_-crazy-teddy-loving-_anato_.

What a shocker.

He visited her room daily and they mastered nearly every two-person card game together. These activities slowly drew her out of her shell as she was forced to act - react - with every other move in order to keep her guest amused. Thus, the mad man became something like a therapist to the depressed woman.

Kanato suggested a bet back when she had first started keeping to the area within her personal lair and the nearest bathroom, but she refused because "gambling was against God's way." With these so-called baser intentions thrown out the window (figuratively, of course), their time together was spent solely for the sake of good company and good conversation. They even found equally competitive spirits in each other... In other words, they were the ultimate sore losers capable of the most child-like enthusiasm.

So in this strange manner, mere past-times transformed into pleasantly scary battles of wit and strategy and luck. Their combined effort to combat boredom was almost as exciting as Yuuki's grand assessment of air resistance (where she did in fact _literally_ throw herself out the window).

"Ahh, no not again!" Kanato cried out, dropping his losing hand onto the small table.

Yuuki smiled. Whether out of sympathy or triumph, it's impossible to really say.

"Don't worry, you'll probably win next time. Ok... It's my turn to shuffle."

"I'm bored, let's do something else," the boy complained as she began pick up the cards and arrange them in a neat pile.

"Like what? I can't think of anything we _haven't_ played. And you got mad when I was doing well in chess."

"Let's play dress up."

Yuuki let out an unladylike snort. "Dress up? Like, you want to do my hair?"

"Sure. You can do mine, too."

"Well... why not?"

The two settled in front of her vanity and Kanato happily started working on her fair hair. Yuuki found it ironic because the roles had swapped - she was always the "older sister" who would help all the little orphans back home groom themselves. Now she was the one being primped and pampered.

"You know what, Kanato?"

"Mm?"

"Awhile back I could have never imagined we'd become good friends like this."

"Yeah, no kidding. I was such a little bitch to you." Kanato grumbled distractedly as he ran a brush through the white-gold locks. "Oh, sorry - did I tug to hard? These dumb tangles..."

"No, it's okay." Yuuki mumbled in response although she had winced reflexively. She ignored the fleeting pain by returning to their discussion. "You've changed."

"Not really. I just gained a new level of respect for you."

The petite blonde frowned in confusion, trying to wrack her brains for some plausible impetus for him to re-evaluate his opinion of her. After five seconds of intense contemplation, she failed to come up with a single reason.

"Meaning?"

"I've come to learn that you're nearly as crazy as me."

"_Sooo_ you've always known that-"

"I'm well aware that I'm not what others would call _normal_. Hold this for me."

She obeyed, daintily keeping the complicated braids in place while he rummaged through her vanity drawer for hair ties. They remained silent as he secured the silky tresses.

"... When do you think Teddy will come back from repairs?"

"Whenever Reiji has time to sew his head back on. He's busy with the recovery of the wing."

"What wing?"

"Haven't you heard? An entire part of the mansion's been destroyed in a fire."

"When did this happen?" Yuuki asked, nearly falling out of her seat in surprise. Her hairdresser clicked his tongue in disapproval to indicate that she needed sit still properly.

"The night of the Awakening." Kanato replied matter-of-factly. "Wow, you're slow to get with the program, Yuu-chan."

"It's not my fault. Nobody's telling me about these things."

"It sort of_ is_ your fault since you're the one locking yourself up in one tiny corner of the universe rather than going to see for yourself. You can't expect everyone to spoon feed you these things."

She waved the jab aside. "Okay, moving on. Who's stupid enough to set the house on fire? Oops, never mind. It was Richter, wasn't it."

"_Bzzt_. Laito, actually."

"Wh-Laito?! Why would _he_ do such a thing?"

"He decided to take care of my uncle once and for all with the help of some enchanted flames." Kanato explained with a shrug, undoing one of the sections because it had become loose.

"Like the ones you used when..." She trailed off as she recalled the memory of Cordelia's first demise. "You know. Your mother."

"What about her?"

"When you found her corpse."

"Oh, _that_? I used purple flames back then. Laito uses green ones."

"Is there a differen-?"

"Hold up! Who told you about that? Didn't I show you her fake grave?"

"Nobody told me anything." Yuuki countered at his insistent, somewhat panicky tone. "It was one of the visions I saw when she possessed me."

"Hmm... In any case, the good news is that Richter died in the inferno." Kanato said, resuming his self-appointed task.

She raised an eyebrow. It took a great deal to properly kill off a vampire.

"Yes, it's confirmed - we made sure of that this time," the boy quickly added, reading the skepticism on her face.

"Alright. And the bad news?"

"Bad news is that the rest of us had to put it out. Our dearly beloved Sir Glasses nearly threw a fit."

Teasing the most responsible one in the household had become a game in itself. The point was to avoid getting caught by the subject of ridicule and face the "disciplinary consequences." Even the simplest of exchanges with Reiji could leave one feeling thoroughly abused.

"_Nearly_?" Yuuki scoffed. "I'm surprised Laito still has a head on his shoulders!"

She couldn't imagine the de facto head-of-house doing anything less than blowing up in anger (probably in the form of a three hour-long lecture to let the responsible parties know _precisely_ how idiotic and disappointing they have been) and making passive-aggressive snipes at everyone else for the next year.

"He didn't really get a chance to vent when there was an emergency to address, you know. And you can't really blame my brother for resorting to such an extreme after everything that's happened. Sue us for arsenal, would you." He grinned comically. "Sorry, Dad, we burned down the house! Don't worry, none of the servants were hurt. The artwork? What's the point of insurance if you don't use it?"

"Oooh, damn."

"Yup. Forget Reiji - we're going to be in so much trouble when my father decides to finally come home. Heh. Fun times."

"Come to think of it... Is he ever home? I'm starting to wonder if he even exists."

"Naw. Father never has time to for us since he's doing things in the capital. Always caught up with some other business, you see."

"Do you think he'll visit anytime soon?"

"The day that hell freezes over." His solemn statement was broken by a bright, teasing smile. "In other words - the day when Four Eyes slouches at dinnertime!"

The pair giggled - his free and unhinged, hers genuine yet stilted. Hers tended to seem... Well, to put it simply, her now-rare laughs possessed a pang of sadness. So they always seemed to be a bit forced.

"_Ah_. In any case... as much as I love pointing out his anal habits, you should be grateful to my half-brother."

The vampirette perked up at the unprompted validation of the second son. "Why is that? Well, I mean, I kind of figured I owe him one..."

"But you want to know _what _exactly you should be thankful for. I get it." Kanato completed before answering her question. "He was the one who made the remedy that cured you."

"Oh wow." Yuuki whispered.

"Sorry, what was that?"

She shook her head - an act that would have pissed him off had he not decided to restart after properly straightening her wavy locks. He plugged the necessary flat-iron into the socket located behind the vanity.

_After all the headaches I give him, I can't believe... I guess I do owe my life to them._

"So... Who else do I have to repay?"

Kanato resettled himself behind her after finding her heat protectant spray. "Well, you'd probably get scared if you knew how I contributed."

"Scared? Wait, let me guess. Does this have anything to do with why precious Teddy was ripped up in the first place?"

"Bingo."

Yuuki clapped her hands. "But do tell, Kanato. It's not like I fear you anymore."

"You _should_ fear me." Kanato joked. "You may be immortal now but you aren't invincible..."

She frowned to let him know that she was not amused.

"Fine. I was the one who provided the ashes for the remedy used to banish Cordelia's soul from your body."

"As in cremated ashes?"

He nodded as he deftly divided her hair into sections for a second time. "Can you guess who they were from?"

After a moment, her reflection expressed absolute horror. "Oh gosh, not your mother!"

"Wow, Yuu-chan! You're a genius." Kanato praised before amending his declaration. "Well, no. I gave you way too many hints and the answer was obvious... Now will you _stop_ fidgeting."

"You brought it too close to my ear! Okay, okay I get it. I apologize. I won't move again so please don't burn me!"

"Good. Just stay like that for two minutes." He sighed as pulled down the straightening wand. "And here I am being so generous with my information."

"Yes, but I still don't get it. What does all that have to do with Teddy?"

"Don't be dumb, Yuu-chan. Obviously because I hid the ashes in his stuffing."

"You did _what_?!"

"That way mother was mine and only mine." Kanato responded calmly.

Realization dawned upon the girl. "No wonder you'd become livid whenever Ayato hid it! That's so creepy, Kanato."

Separating Teddy from its owner was a habitual form of teasing that usually ended in tears, to Ayato's great pleasure and amusement and Kanato's great embarrassment. When the bear was eventually returned unharmed, the youngest triplet would taunt that their rank in age had been swapped. _Clearly_.

She rolled her eyes at the memory. The two always pretended to hate the mere sight of each other, but Yuuki figured that the resident prankster was only having a little fun.

"I have a strange fascination for dead things. It's likely not a very healthy interest, but who cares?" Kanato shrugged, interrupting the girl's mental tangent. His so-called fascination was precisely the reason why he connected with Yuuki after she had repeatedly tried to die on various occasions.

"For the record, _I_ care... Uwaah, that sounded a lot less cheesy in my mind."

"Haha, I love you too. And you really _are_ insane for caring about us. We're your natural predators, you know."

"Not anymore. Well, Ayato still wants my blood but it looks like he's leaving me alone until I seem to fully recover... From what exactly, I have no idea."

"Depression, Yuu-chan. Depression and guilt. You really shouldn't feel so obligated to us. Subaru was the one who gave you the knife, so it's practically his fault that you tried to sacrifice yourself."

"No, I just didn't want a bloodbath! Don't point fingers at him."

"It's okay, I understand why you went ahead with your silly plan to save us vampires."

"You do?"

"Yes. You did it because you're a softie."

"Am not!"

"Are too! You'd sooner destroy yourself before letting us undeserving monsters get hurt. That's the truth, Yuu-chan. I can't say that any of us did a single thing to earn that kind of a sacrifice. Some might call your strange sense of justice crazy and I'd agree." Kanato paused to swallow some inexplicable torrent of emotions. "But because of your stupidity, I'm standing here today. We really were on the verge of killing each other. Me and Laito... We even ganged up against Ayato at one point because of our blood thirst for you."

Feeling a bit uneasy at this speech for many reasons, she shuffled uncomfortably in her seat. "Ayato?"

"That idiot was protecting you from us when he should have been protecting you from my uncle. He only arrived at the last minute because we beat him up so bad. Don't look so concerned - we reconciled afterward. What with our common enemy and all that."

"And what about Shu? What as he up to that night?"

"Nothing much. At best, I'd say that he pitied himself and worried hopelessly over your still body. Actually, I'd say the same for Ayato. I should've recorded it because his reaction was kind of hilarious. All angst, little action."

"Huh. That's actually a bit... sad?"

"You can say disappointing if you want. I'm not judging."

"I mean, it's not like they owe me anything so it's not like I should expect them to have acted any differently."

"But?"

"But those two - how should I say it? I only had a decent-ish first impression of those two out of everybody else. I always doubted that vampires were inherently evil since I perceived some genuine kindness in them." She glanced up at Kanato apologetically before continuing. "No offense to the rest of you, of course..."

"It's not your fault. We were really bad hosts."

Yuuki stared thoughtfully at Kanato's reflection in the mirror. "Kanato, you really _have_ changed. You're much nicer now."

"Please don't misunderstand, Yuu-chan. I'm just as I've always been. I get attached easily, that's all."

"No, I don't think so. You've definitely become more mature."

"Have I?"

"Yes, I'm positive."

After a moment of consideration, the vampire snorted in dismissal of the idea.

"You only believe that because you're my first living friend," he explained.

She didn't need to be reminded of his lack of animate companions.

"So you think you've been like this since you were born?"

"Uhh, I wouldn't necessarily stretch it so far. But I guess that's basically what I mean."

"You did say _always_. I'm not to blame for generalizing."

"Alright, sheesh! I should have said_ over the course of the past few months_, I've failed to see any real change within myself. Happy?"

"No, because you're totally wrong and I can prove it."

"How so?"

"Think about it. Were you born with your various mannerisms or have you developed them over time?" Yuuki inquired, knowing that his past clearly explained why he became so twisted.

"Various mannerisms?"

"I dunno. Like playing with toys at our age."

"You're asking if that is something I naturally love or simply a habit?"

"Exactly."

"Honestly..." Kanato continued after letting the thought sink in. "You may be right. See, my mother used to cheat on my father right in front of me, thinking that I was too little to be paying attention-"

"Oh, that's so disgusting." Yuuki interjected.

"Agreed. Sex is gross. In any case, I would keep busy with my play things in order to ignore her actions. Besides singing, I connected with my mother through my toys."

_Connected? I'd be traumatized._

"H-how scandalous." She cringed as she recalled a few of the more amorous memories that had been passed down to her. "But I'm surprised that _you'd_ be willing to reveal something like that about Cordelia. Out of your brothers, you seemed to have the best relationship with your mom."

_Even Laito appeared to bear a grudge._

"I've learned to let go of my unhealthy attachment towards her recently. Which, I guess, does count as a change."

"Does this _recently_ have anything to do with me?"

"It has everything to do with you, Yuu-chan."

"I don't know if I should be flattered."

"Take it as a compliment. You've shown me what a normal female is like."

Yuuki chuckled darkly and murmured that she was by no means a normal female.

He ignored her and continued, "Because of that, I realized that my mother never did anything to act like a parent. So I decided to stop revering her."

"Would you say that she was the one who screwed your personality over?"

"I can blame her for all my problems. Ultimately, it's me who decides to act in the way I do."

Yuuki twisted around to pat the vampire affectionately on the cheek. "I'm so proud of you, Kanato. You've grown so much."

Kanato beamed.

"But, seriously, how in the world am _I_ normal? And why would _that_ make you want to befriend me?"

"I _can_ recognize people who actually care for me, sweetheart. Love borders on insanity, after all. 'Sides, you were the only person to ever fight earnestly with me outside of my family - and they either ignore or abuse me whenever I start whining. You, on the other hand, matched my immature demands blow-for-blow."

"Nooo, you're not supposed to state a reason like that! That's not a _happy_ reason."

"Can't help it, it's the truth. I called you normal since girls are stereotypically supposed to be made of sugar and spice and everything nice, if that's what you were confused about. Now how do you like this?" He gestured at her finished hairstyle.

"Very well done," she chirped, admiring her reflection. "Okay, it's your turn now."

"No, I want to apply makeup on you too."

Yuuki sighed at her reflection. "Kanato, can you become my professional assistant? I feel like a model."

"As long as I don't get bored of it too quickly."

With that, she fished out her handful of supplies. Growing up in a non-secular environment, she always considered one's spiritual identity to be more important than one's physical appearance. But her father never forbade her from experimenting a little, so she once purchased some brown mascara for her too-pale lashes and an eye-shadow palatte. Later on, she received a few bottles of pretty nail polish and lip gloss from her old friends.

This became the prized collection that she had brought along with her when she moved to the Sakamaki household. Yuuki briefly explained to the vampire boy that unlike her other belongings that failed to make the cut, _used_ cosmetics weren't something that could really be donated. There was only so much that one could stuff inside a single suitcase, not to mention that she had few worldly possessions in the first place.

Unfazed by the lack of supplies, Kanato studied the palette and chose the color that he deemed best for her complexion. He would keep it light and simple this time, although he ached to do something a little more dramatic.

Yuuki watched her transformation with wonder. Other than applying moisturizer and lip balm, and filling in her light brown brows, she rarely did anything more to her face. Now she realized that her visage was a canvas of possibilities. She felt... beautiful.

"I would have never known that you were so creative," she marveled. Her sherbet eyes seemed to sparkle more than usual.

"Welcome to the world of artists," Kanato quipped, "where there's a little bit of insanity within all of us."

"Puhahaha~"

"You laughed! That's great, Yuu-chan. I've been worried about that, you know."

"Have you?" Yuuki asked, still grinning from ear-to-ear. "But I've been laughing this entire time."

"Oh, those half-baked ones don't count. I can tell when you're being sincere or not. Remember how I used to get really angry at you because you tried to be tactful and kiss up to me and stuff? That annoyed the shit out of me."

"I'm sorry. I was just trying to be nice... Or trying not to make another enemy, at least."

"Thank you for your honesty but I know you tried your best to understand me. It's my fault that it's an impossible feat. I shouldn't have pushed you to make the effort."

"It's okay."

"Does that mean you forgive me?"

"Of course."

"Even after everything I-"

"Look, it's all in the past now. Most of the time bullies have also been bullied so you're not entirely to blame. It's good that you broke through the vicious cycle." The vampirette smiled. "Like I said earlier: you've changed. You're a different person now and I'm really glad to be your friend."

"I'm not the only one who's changed here."

She snorted. "_Clearly_."

"No, I don't just mean becoming a vampire. Yuu-chan, make sure to look carefully into that mirror and see what's really causing your sadness, okay?"

"... Thank you, Kanato. That's enough for today."

The boy pouted. "Are you sure? I haven't finished."

"That's not it," she said as he withdrew. "I've learned a lot from you and I need some alone time to think things over. Besides, if you stay too long, Ayato will get jealous."

"Oh, don't worry, he already probably is." Kanato jested in reply as he cleaned up the space. "See you tomorrow then. Make sure to drink your cranberry juice."

"I'm not scared of it anymore!" Yuuki called over her shoulder as he shut the door. This too had become an inside joke between them.

The quiet that settled once her playmate went away left her with mixed feelings of calm and privacy as well as an aching loneliness. She stared at herself, her strange yet fascinating features accentuated by the flimsy mask of makeup.

_Look at myself in the mirror, huh? Kanato darling, you could become a song writer at this point._

* * *

**A/N:** If you were able to follow that absurd conversation, then I applaud you. See what I mean by _this is complete nonsense_? Not only did Kanato drop his abusiveness, but he became _self reflective_. *theatrical gasp* This must be the apocalypse, I know. But he's never gonna drop his oddball craziness since that's what defines him... And apparently, he's going to have to become some famous artist someday (be it music, or otherwise), because that's the only field that celebrates your personality disorders.

But raise your hands if you want Kanato evolve into Sassy!Kanato, people. Because that idea seems strangely appealing...


	5. Self-Inflicted Suffocation

_Oh. Has it already been ten minutes since Kanato left? I'm surprised "he" didn't pop up yet._

As if on cue, her solitude was broken by a quick knock followed by some muffled cursing from the corridor. Startled, the petite blonde jumped up from her seat and stared at the entrance to her bedroom like a spooked squirrel-thing. Ayato never knocked.

Then her momentary fright gave into legitimate curiosity.

_Now who could that be? _Yuuki wondered as she promptly hobbled over to the door to swing it open.

"Ayato! It _is_ you," exclaimed the vampirette. She gracelessly moved aside to let him pass, nearly tripping on herself as she did so.

"Yo," the boy greeted coolly from behind the mountain of stuff in his arms, which threatened to topple over at any second. Which also explained the cursing. Why did he even bother trying to knock when he clearly was unable to turn the knob himself? God damn.

"Why didn't you just use your abilities to get in?" Yuuki asked as she quietly closed the door behind her, noting that he didn't seem fazed by the fact that she was expecting him. Just eager to discard his belongings off somewhere... Obviously, he headed for her bed.

She took a moment to admire his long easy strides despite the great balancing act he seemed to be performing. A small feeling of envy burned inside her. If she could only be _half _as agile.

"Well, for one, you threw a hissy fit the last time I appeared in here without warning-"

"That's because I was half naked!"

"And secondly-" Ayato continued, ignoring her protest to retain some semblance of modesty. He dropped his belongings on her mattress.

"Wait," the girl cut him off as she quickly skimmed over the pile. "Are you planning to sleep over or something?" The question was purely rhetorical in nature. The extra pillow and blankets gave his intentions away. "That's out of the question and you know it."

Whatever argument he had died in his throat as soon as he turned to face her. A lopsided smirk replaced his previous scowl. The redhead deliberately scanned her from head to toe before whistling a good, proper whistle. "Why are you all dressed up, pancake?"

"Just Kanato messing around like usual," she explained hastily, fidgeting under his dazzling green gaze. Yuuki swallowed in embarrassment.

No man ever looked at her the way that he did... Never looked at her so _hungrily_. The fact that her insides seemed to be engaging in competitive gymnastics was not altogether unpleasant. _Disturbing_ if she analyzed it too closely. But its unnerving ability to perform such amazing flips compelled a small part of her heart to shudder with awe. She tried to mask this complicated feeling by defaulting to her salty side.

Outwardly, the vampirette made a _shoo_-ing motion at the hormonal teenager. "Jesus! Stop staring, will you."

He dismissively blew a small whiff of air out of his nostrils, indicating that he meant to take his merry time. She crossed her arms protectively over her chest where his eyes lingered for a second. What did he even see in her so-called flatness? Gah - _Boys_.

"Seriously, if you keep it up, mister..." Yuuki warned, doing a very good job of hiding any ounce of amusement she may or may not be feeling.

Ayato raised a skeptical brow. Unfortunately, intimidation wasn't her strongest point.

"So..." he finally drawled. "How come Kanato's allowed to come and go as he pleases, and I'm kicked out the second I set foot near you?"

"Maybe because he's not attempting to get into my pants whenever we're alone together."

Ayato flushed a deep shade of tomato at the accusation. "Okay, hold on. I don't do that."

"Uh huh. Yeahhh... I might have believed you if you weren't such a blatant pervert."

"I'm only appreciating what's mine. That doesn't make me a pervert."

"That's besides the point, Ayato."

"And what exactly is your point, sweetheart?"

"I'm _not_ sleeping with a man in my room unless he happens to be my father, my brother or my husband. You, my good sir, fail to fall into any of these three categories."

"Darling, I hate to break it to you but your future husband is standing right in front of you. And don't get your panties in a twist - he's not trying to get into them just yet."

"Oh, what a gentleman!" Yuuki swooned sarcastically with an added eye-roll.

"Yeah, I am. Look - I'm waiting so politely for marriage or at least until you're ready. You should be grateful for how patient I'm being."

"Marriage? What marriage?"

"Sheesh, pancake. I didn't think you'd forget about my proposal so quickly. That's harsh."

"Ha ha, very funny. I guess I ought to remind you that I never said yes."

"But you never said no. Besides, what's the big deal? We've slept together before and you know I haven't pulled any funny business."

"Ayato," she enunciated with exasperated syllables, "those were _circumstances_."

"Not the first time."

"Well, it was kind of hard to defy you back then without fearing for my physical well-being. I wasn't going to risk angering a vampire and never getting the chance to see the light of day again."

"Yet you - little prissy missy human - _still_ defied me. Also, I don't recall that you ever tried to avoid getting on our nerves. You'd even do it on purpose sometimes..."

_Alright, I admit I did try to piss you guys off intentionally now and then._

"Don't deny it." Ayato added when the petite blonde opened her mouth. "The Yuuki I know isn't really scared of some silly vampires. You _let_ me stay that night because you _wanted_ me to be there. You knew that I wasn't going to harm you."

"If truly that's the case-"

"Aha, so you concede!"

"I said _if,_ dummy. That means I was only hypothetically accepting your premise," she argued good-naturedly. The small smile on her face was soon replaced with a grimace. "But you're right. Sometimes, on the really bad days, I couldn't give a crap anymore. I'd think _To hell with it all! Who cares about some dumb mosquito_ _blood-suckers_? That night, I... umm... let's just say that was definitely one of those days. I think I was reaching out to anyone at that point, as long as it wasn't one of my own demons."

She paused momentarily and began fiddling with her fingers. Her hands looked so small.

"Don't get me wrong. I-I really was afraid of you guys. Who wouldn't be? No offense but I thought I was sleeping with the enemy. Honestly, I was terrified of you that night."

It was his turn to roll his eyes. "Yeah, that makes _perfect_ sense seeing how you decided to turn around to pull me closer."

"Shut up. I was just using you as a life-size teddy bear." Yuuki snapped, sticking out her tongue at him. Here she was, spilling her heart out and he responds with ridicule!

"Last time I checked, I wasn't all warm and fuzzy. Quite the opposite, actually."

"Eww."

"What?" Ayato sniffled defensively, brushing a thumb underneath his nose.

"I just thought of a giant Teddy. Gross." She chewed her bottom lip thoughtfully. "Urm, how about a body pillow?"

"See? You were a hundred percent willing to use me as your friggin' body pillow. I call BS on your awareness of danger and self-preservation."

This made her chuckle. In more than one sense, he was totally right. Other girls, she imagined, wouldn't have the guts to try to live alongside - let alone attempt to befriend - these vampires. (Unless they were just as idiotic.) Amused by the thought, Yuuki rest one hand on the dip of her waist, inadvertently accentuating the curves of her small frame.

"All I'm saying is that I have an adventurous spirit. You don't have a problem with me acting a bit gutsy, do you?" Her voice dropped down to menacing purr.

She didn't realize what that even did to him. She thought she was being all tough and mighty in her feminine glory, but he simply melted at the sight.

"Or does that undermine your _oh-so-manly_ sense of authority?"

The frazzled redhead couldn't come up with a good retort on the spot, so he licked his dry lips and tried to remind the both of them why they were here having this sort of aggressive chat in the first place. Did this count as flirting? It counted as flirting. Duuude.

"ANYWAY! Getting back to the original point: yes, I plan to stay here tonight and none of the lame excuses that you come up with is going to change my mind."

"Aya-"

"Chill out, pancake. I'm not even going to join you on the bed. I brought all this crap over since I figured I could just take the floor."

The petite blonde leaned on her bed post tiredly and crossed her arms again. "Why go through the trouble? I mean, the Vampire King's son sleeping on the ground? Blasphemy."

The boy scratched the back of his head absent-mindedly. "You're awfully chatty today."

"We're not having a chat. Chat is too friendly. I'm just making it very clear that I don't want you here."

"You may not want me, babe, but you sure as hell need me."

"Don't be ridiculous."

"Gahh~" Ayato groaned. "You know, it's a blessing we vampires don't die of things like blue balls."

Yuuki swatted him with his own pillow, making him yelp as she pushed him out into the corridor.

"Go back," she ordered, shoving the soft white cushion into his chest and turning him around forcefully. "This isn't your room."

"Then you have to come to mine tonight." Ayato declared, adamant that they were going to stay together. He refused to let her huddle underneath the covers for yet another night feeling unloved, lonely and despicable.

_Eh?_

Yuuki hesitated. She had never once stepped into any of their bedrooms. Initially, she avoided exploring their chambers because of what Reiji had said back when he caught them skipping class together on her first day at school. Back when she was considered livestock. She would never risk being alone where nobody was likely to save her if she were attacked. Now, safe in her identity as a non-human, she simply didn't feel like wandering the mansion grounds.

"Uhh. No way in hell, buddy." She withdrew her hands from his backside. "What's up with you today? You're acting so persistent and obnoxious."

"Like that's any different from normal. I'm always obnoxious, according to some people..." Ayato looked over his shoulder. "What's up with you?"

"I meant unusually so. And nothing's up with me."

"Bull. You've been acting strange ever since the Awakening," he clarified, whirling around to face her properly. "I legit can't see why are you trying so hard to avoid me."

"Don't be a jealous little girlfriend, Ayato."

"I'm not jealous," the boy retorted. "Bitch, I'm awesome."

"Course you are."

"Seriously. I'm _not_ jealous. Who would I be jealous of anyway? _Kanato_? Pshh, he's not even competition."

"No. You're jealous of my feelings. Duh. You don't like the fact that I'm a loner now who prefers the company of her raging emotions to her supernatural housemates." Yuuki deadpanned.

"Hurhur, hilarious. Now answer my question. What are you so afraid of? When you keep shutting me out like this, I've gotta wonder what you're trying to hide from me."

"You seem to be mistaken, friend. It's not that I'm avoiding you specifically. I just need my space. You of all people should know how much I'm going through."

"Doesn't mean you can throw me out like this, pancake. This is my house."

Annoyed, the vampirette threw up her arms. "This is _my_ room! And you'll go when I say so. It's not proper for an unmarried man to spend the night with a woman."

"You were a _woman_?" Ayato exclaimed theatrically as he gestured an hourglass shape in the air. "That's news to me! You're so petite that I-"

"I do _not_ have the body of a little girl, you rascal! And no, you may not check to prove yourself wrong."

"Ha! If I wanted to grope your non-existent tits, I had a million chances to do so."

"Not in this life you don't." Yuuki growled threateningly.

"Is that so?" Ayato huffed, sarcasm still dripping thickly in his voice.

"Yeah, but if you want to try it - by all means." At his mischievous look, she swiftly added, "I'll simply reward you with the worst black-eye you'll ever experience _ever_. I might even blind you."

The male vampire shook his head charmingly. "I don't think you know exactly how defenseless you can be, pancake."

"As if _you'd_ know," she scoffed.

"Oh, yes. Yes I do. Better than anybody else here. _I_ was the one who tended to your unconscious body, after all."

The petite blonde narrowed her artificial-strawberry pink eyes at his provocation. "What do you mean?"

He clicked his tongue and looked at her meaningfully. "Have you ever wondered why you woke up _that time_ in a wedding dress?"

Yuuki gasped in outrage and Ayato had to catch her wrist before her open-faced palm could make contact with his cheekbones.

"Yo-You_ wouldn't dare_! A _maid_ bathed me and changed my clothes," she cried out. Sheer embarrassment, however, shattered her facade of utter conviction.

He glared at the girl and, still with an iron grip on her arm, drew her closer. She struggled as his scent enveloped and overpowered her..

"That's true, but I was the one who directly assisted her. You think I'd leave your totally-unprotected-self alone with a mere servant in that kind of a situation? And stop worrying your pretty little head over it, pancake. I swear I didn't look at your nudie bits." Again, he jerked her forward and lowered his voice. She stifled a yelp, unwilling to appear weak. "But don't think for one second that I don't desire you."

His breath was dark and seductive on her neck. She frowned at the sensation and wriggled out of his hold, the hot pressure between them lessening as she stepped back.

"I will _never_ expose myself to a sicko like you." Yuuki announced, blushing madly. "Now that I'm no longer some defenseless human, don't expect that I'll be giving you access to all of this. Neither my blood nor my tits."

Ayato blinked. Did she not feel the sexual chemistry there? He could have cut through that tension with a knife.

"You-"

"You might regret not stealing a peek when you had the chance because my body is exactly that: Mine. You have no right to objectify me."

"Whaddya mean I have no right? You've already vowed to dedicate yourself to me. You belong to me." Ayato replied with indignant confusion. "Or are you going to pretend that you don't remember what happened by the lake too?"

She took a deep breath and exhaled at length. "Not at all. You just told me to make that pledge. You seem to forget that_ I _never responded."

"Well then what are you waiting for? You wouldn't be caught up in all this propriety nonsense if you just let us be a normal couple. Stop pretending you don't want this as much as I do."

The hurt in his voice was unmistakable and Yuuki abruptly felt her own throat constrict.

"Funny. _Normal_ is positively the last thing we could ever hope to be..." she mumbled quietly, desperately hoping that she wouldn't start to cry. Now this? This was just plain unreasonable.

"Yeah. Most people don't get the chance to spend an eternity with each other. And here we are, squandering this opportunity of a lifetime for no good reason. Hey. Look at me... How many friggin' centuries do you need, pancake, before you're ready?"

"Ready for what exactly?" Yuuki asked with a vengeance, refusing to obey the gentle command, preferring to make fists out of her hands instead.

"To start living in the present - here, with me."

"I don't understand why you're being so impatient," she said helplessly in a vain attempt to avoid answering his heartbreaking question. "Swearing your life to someone else is a big deal."

"Yeah, you got that right. So hurry up and pledge yourself to me already."

"Ugh my god!" Yuuki cried as she ripped her eyes away from the carpet. "Which part do I have to spell out in order for you to get it? If you really wanted to win me over, why can't you let me take my damn time with this?"

"I can wait, I really can. Even if it's frustrating-"

"Then why all this rush?"

"Because you seem to be distracted really easily, pancake. The more time I give you, the more likely I'm going to lose you to something or someone else," he completed. "And that's what I can't stand."

"Wha-_that's_ it?! For the love of all things holy, Ayato, I have finally made some _friends_ in this hellhole. You call that a distraction! Well, excuse me for trying to divert my attention from all the craptastic things weighing on my mind. My sanity's literally at a breaking point, I'll have you know."

"Nobody's saying you have to shoulder that all by yourself. If you would start relying on me a little bit more-"

She cut him off with a dismissive hand. "I'm tired of relying on other people. I'm especially tired of relying you."

"Jeez. I'm only trying to help, pancake."

"Like I need to be indebted to any more people. I don't need your assistance, thanks."

"What makes them such special unicorns anyway?" Ayato spat, the bile rising in his throat. Never had he ever felt so slighted in his life.

"They saved my life! I'd say that warrants unicorn status, indeed."

"_When_?"

"The Awakening, dummy. When else? I heard you and Shu just sat on your lazy, self-pitying asses while Richter had his way with me and Cordelia tried to kill me."

"Did not! Who do you think dueled that bastard for your sake?"

"And _lost_."

"Only because he was using you as a shield."

"Guess who had to put herself on the death row anyway?"

"That's not my fault. That was your own stupid idea."

"Not your fault!? I did it for you, Ayato!"

"Well screw me, because I was trying to protect you!"

The two startled when an unexpectedly loud "_NOW KISS_" interrupted them.

"Laito?!" Ayato and Yuuki cried in unison. How hadn't they noticed him standing there before he explicitly made his presence known?

"Oh, don't mind me." Laito greeted nonchalantly. "Unless you're planning on having hot angry sex now. In that case, let's make it a threesome."

The vampirette wrinkled her nose in disgust. It seemed like this entire household was bursting at the seams with horny young men.

"Thanks but no thanks." Ayato snarled at Laito. The latter seemed unruffled by the hostile behavior, since he continued to sport an easy smirk.

"Your little brother was just about to leave anyway." Yuuki supplemented.

"The show's already over? Dang, that was one of the most entertaining lovers' quarrels I've ever seen. Eight outta ten, guys."

"Glad someone enjoyed it but it's called an argument," she corrected. "Not a lovers' quarrel. We are not lovers."

Ayato's deadly expression darkened. His brother tried and failed to suppress a snort of laughter. Ah, this was good fun.

"If that's the case, Koinu, let's go out on a date. You look very nice today," he suggested flirtatiously, eyeing her pretty clothes. "Don't you think it's a waste to keep your beauty hidden inside this stuffy mansion?"

"Thanks but no thanks," the petite blonde said smoothly, failing to notice that she had parroted Ayato.

"Eh~?" Laito feigned a look of crushing disappointment, although her cold refusal only seemed to increase his apparent amusement. "How unfortunate, I thought of personally escorting you through the estate. Have you had a chance to explore the orchards yet?"

"Sorry, but she's not a dog you can just take out for a walk." Ayato declared, putting his arm around her possessively. She nudged at him, but otherwise stayed put.

"What he said." Yuuki agreed before hissing, "_Now get yer arm off me, ya big oaf._"

Instead, Ayato handed her the pillow that he'd dropped sometime during their heated discussion. The girl looked at the fluffy object, confused, and he suddenly picked the her up and tossed her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"_Kya~!_"

"This one's already taken, Laito. Go find some other entertainment," he suggested before sauntering back into room and slamming the door loudly behind them.

"Ayato, let me down!" Yuuki protested, throwing the abused pillow at the back of his knees. When that proved ineffective, she began hitting her balled fists against his back.

The vampire was totally unfazed by her passionate battering. She felt a wave of dizziness as the blood rushed out of her head when he deftly discarded her next to his scattered pile.

"Ugh. You could have been more gentle. You're such a caveman."

"Yuuki."

She immediately looked up and met his unwavering scrutiny. Ayato never used her name unless he was about to say something important. His serious, tight-lipped expression made her shiver and instantly forgot about her uncomfortable landing.

"W-what do you want?"

He leaned over her until she was flattened against the mattress. Ayato was painfully close. His hands were placed on either side of her and their noses were almost touching.

"Yuuki," he repeated quietly. "You know already. So why are you refusing to spend time with me?"

She remained silent because all he was asking for was a little attention. Their position made her feel like he had the upper hand. Literally. He didn't budge when she meekly pushed against him.

"... You'll disregard my values for your own selfishness?" Yuuki whispered, sensing that they were one breathless kiss away from ripping each other's clothes off. And that kind of thing required a certain kind of commitment that she wasn't ready for.

_Maybe_ she'd be open to the idea of sex one day. Today was not that day. She was still trying to find her own footing. And she was scared of letting him knock her further off balance.

Then again, she was tired of fighting with Ayato. She hated the conflict, hated the fact that she could not open herself fully and completely. A small part of her wished that she could just give up and give in. Yuuki felt a wave of guilt pool in her stomach. She was the one putting up walls and hindering their communication. But rather than acknowledge this, she wanted to place the blame elsewhere. On him.

Unaware of her internal tug-of-war, he stared at her in confusion. "What nonsense are you babbling about, pancake?"

"You're the one spouting nonsense. Don't act all innocent. You're not waiting for marriage at all," the vampirette elaborated, a harsh note ringing in her voice. "_Are you that starved, Ayato?_ That you'll disregard my values for your own selfishness?"

_Oof, that's taking it a little to far._ Yuuki told herself. He was restraining his desires for her sake, but here she was claiming that he would rob her of her purity.

Ayato searched her eyes and sighed. Then he closed his eyelids. Pressed his forehead against hers.

"That's not what I'm doing at all. Don't make false accusations."

"Well then I can't see why you're always clinging onto me like this."

Ironically, her hands hand found their way to the small of his back and the space between his shoulder blade. There, they clutched onto his shirt, her fingers wringing the material as if they didn't wish to ever let go... She was such a hypocrite.

"You're a power bank. I need you to help me." Ayato replied as his cheek caressed hers on his descent down to her neck. "Without you, I can't be the best."

"Why? Why do I have to give _you _my blood?" Yuuki asked, even as she pushed her head back into the blanket. Her body apparently had a mind of its own.

"You want to give it - give yourself to me," he murmured, kissing her jawline. "Because you love me."

_Oh, no. You're not playing that card._

The petite blonde pulled away from his touch and glared at him.

"What about you, then? Do you care more about me or my blood? - No, you don't have to answer that. I don't want you to lie to me. If I didn't have your mother's heart, I would have ended up like one of Kanato's mannequins. You wouldn't have thought I was anything special. You wouldn't have looked at me for a second."

"Maybe not at first, pancake." Ayato admitted.

"Asshole."

"I have a very fine ass, thanks," he countered without missing a beat. "But what difference does it make now? You're here and I honestly want us to spend the rest of our lives together."

"It makes all the difference. You think of me as your possession." Yuuki pat his crumpled blanket, which was laying harmlessly beside her, for emphasis. "And nothing more."

"Don't compare yourself to a blanket. You're worth so much more than that. And I said that you're mine because you belong to me. Not as a possession. As a person."

Yuuki found herself growing more upset. She forcefully shoved against him until he had to get off the mattress in order to make room for her. "Same thing, idiot."

"No, it's not."

"Yes, it is." Yuuki insisted once she was sitting upright. "You assume that you own me just because you called dibs first. You're afraid of losing me just like you'd hate to lose any other toy of yours. Your definition of '_mine_' is no different from a kindergartner's."

"That's not true."

"Prove it."

"How do you prove something like that? You just have to trust me on this one."

"That means nothing to me. You think I'll put my faith in you just _because you said so_?" The vampirette spat as she stood herself. "You're even more childish than I thought."

"Well, does this prove anything?" Ayato asked, swiftly stealing a kiss from her.

He intended to keep it short and chaste, but when her jaw dropped open in shock, he decided to linger a bit. Rather than fully deepen the embrace, he pulled back and returned to his original stance.

_Damn this cocky bastard._

"You and your evil ways..." Yuuki cursed aloud, blushing profusely while he maintained a straight face. Unable to muster up the resolve to glower at him, she looked away.

"What's so evil about that? You're not going to listen to me so I figured that I ought to show you instead."

"You tricked me into a reaction. It's playing dirty." She covered her lips with the back of her hand, her eyes trained on his things.

"It's not a trick, pancake. It's the truth."

When he didn't get a response, he sighed, reached around her, picked up the remnants his pile and disappeared. Their fight was going absolutely nowhere.

The vampirette looked up when his electric presence was gone and realized that Ayato had accidentally left his pillow behind since it was on the floor rather than on the bed with his other belongings.

Impulsively, she pounced on the darned thing. With a great battle cry, Yuuki began striking it against the mattress repeatedly until her arms hurt from all the mad swinging. The piece of furniture moaned in protest as it absorbed each of her blows until the small yet strong supernatural collapsed onto it. She buried her face into the pillow and released one last shriek into its soft tummy.

Then everything was still. Absolutely still.

Yuuki's makeup and hair was all messed up when she finally moved away from the poor piece of bedding. She sniffled at her disheveled reflection in the vanity mirror and fell onto the covers again. Kanato would be so fucking proud. NOT.

_Boo hoo. Now I can feel all sorry for myself. _Yuuki thought, hugging the pillow close in substitute for its owner. Worse still, it even smelled like him... How absolutely mortifying.

His last words kept replaying in her head like a broken record: _"It's not a trick," he said. "It's the truth."_

_What truth? _The truth that she was completely taken by that spoiled, arrogant, perfectly wonderful brat? That she was totally in denial?

Try as she might, Yuuki could not deny it. Because the truth was that she was suffocating in her own prison.

* * *

**A/N:** You know what's most frustrating about this chapter? They're fighting just for the sake of releasing all this pent up vexation since there's absolutely no misunderstandings in between them. Ayato and Yuuki are perfectly aware of how the other feels but are simply being _stubborn_. Ugh, I know... I must admit that I'm amused at my creative freedom with "Rebirth" but my cynicism is oozing through the cracks.


	6. Burned by Your Boiling Emotions

Ayato tossed and turned on his favorite couch, his face the very picture of utter discontentment.

Said teenager had a reputation of dealing with his problems in a straightforward manner. Unlike his brothers from other mothers, he had a tendency to openly complain about things rather than bottle it up inside. However, for some reason, he didn't say one word regarding his fight with Yuuki.

This was both cause for concern and curiosity. _What did that girl do to get him to clam up? And how long would this unnerving peace last?_ Ayato's uncharacteristic silence kept everyone on edge since he could snap at any given moment...

Even fellow vampires were weary of raging immortal adolescents, apparently. Most of the household decided to tread carefully. Laito, on the other hand, had no qualms about pestering the red-headed ticking bomb.

Despite appearances, the sole witness to the actual event wasn't just fishing for more gossip fodder. From his perspective, Ayato was a mere rookie in the realm of relationships. He simply didn't know how to get back up again after falling hard for the first time. So, in accordance with his self-imposed role, love-doctor Laito took it upon himself to offer some words of wisdom. (Whether the well-intended advice was welcome or not was another question.)

"Look on the bright side," he said as he removed his fedora. He ran his fingers through his long locks, partly in order to ease up a serious case of hat hair. "The fact that she argued with you is a good thing, right? It means she's finally come out of her shell."

"Do I seem particularly overjoyed to you?" Ayato snapped sarcastically, tired of all the verbal poking and prodding he'd been receiving lately.

"I don't see why you're acting like this." Laito sighed, giving up the attempt to fix his cosmetic crisis and covering it up with the fashionable cap once more.

Since Ayato was glaring at the upholstery at the time, he mistook the sound of exasperation as one directed towards him. His suspicion only increased when Laito continued.

"Koinu-cchi's only playing a little hard-to-get. That's just what girls do. No biggie."

"As brainless as you think I may be, I'm not _an idiot_. I can tell when I've been flat-out rejected," the younger sibling replied bitterly. "Besides, Yuuki's not like the chicks you whore around with. She doesn't do stupid crap to get attention."

"Wait, she rejected you?"

"Yeah." Ayato rolled over to face his unwanted companion. "More than once."

"No shit." Weren't those two _this_ close to eating each other's faces off the last time he saw them? "What happened?"

"Haha, nice try. That's all you're gonna get so you can stop being a nosy old grandma."

"Aww. You can't just tell me something like that and then leave me hanging."

"I just did. Now beat it, ponyboy."

"_Ayato_..."

"Leave me alone." Ayato groaned, launching a firm cushion at Laito's face as he sat up. The older boy caught it effortlessly and put down on the seat next to him.

"Yo. If you don't cooperate, I'll be forced to resort to blackmail."

"Oh, I feel _so_ threatened."

"You should."

"Laito, you do realize that I'm the strongest one between us? You could hardly scratch me even if you tried."

"I'm not denying it - you _did_ gorge yourself on the Sacrificial Bride after all. 'Strongest' is questionable, though. I'd say you're on par with Shu." Laito replied calmly. "But that's besides the point. I would never be dumb enough to try to intimidate you with brute strength. But I _do_ have way too much dirt on you for your own good and - yeah, you get the gist... I suggest you start talking before I decide to ask _Koinu _instead."

"I-Okay, _fine_." Ayato finally conceded, knowing better than to continue being stubborn. Laito got a kick out of wanting - or _doing_ \- what he wasn't supposed to. Resistance only strengthened his resolve.

"Good boy." Laito grinned victoriously before settling into his chair. This ought to be interesting. "Go on then."

"So one second, we seem to be having a nice banter going, yeah?"

"_Uh huh_."

"And the next, she's... You were there. You know what she's like."

"Mm. Outrageously flirtatious without even realizing it?"

"Yes, that. She's such a freaking tease." Ayato hesitated. Laced his fingers together. "But then she's pushing me away again as soon as-"

"As soon as you get too close for comfort." Laito finished helpfully.

Ayato nodded. "It's like I spook her sometimes so she starts acting all _leave me the hell alone, you vampire pervert freak. I want nothing to do with you!_"

"Ahahahaha. Poor little Koinu-chan! I can't believe I left her alone with a beast like you. I should have known you'd try to take advantage of her."

"Wh-?!" Ayato choked on himself and began coughing fitfully. "I didn't... _Jesus_!"

Chuckling, the older boy seemed to pity the mortified one. He tried (and mostly failed) to suppress his mirth in favor of adopting a more sober expression.

"Listen, man." Laito began with a tone of camaraderie. "You need to be more gentle towards the ladies if you want to get lucky. You gotta act like you treasure them."

"Shut up." Ayato immediately retorted. "I don't need your bull shit advice for creating fake-ass lovers. It's not even about that."

"Dude, you can't preten-"

"I'm serious, Laito. I didn't ask her to have sex with me." A pause. "I asked her to marry me."

...

_What._

_The._

_Fungus?_

Laito's blank expression perfectly captured his inability to figure out how exactly to react to the news. It seemed that his brain had effectively imploded the moment Ayato decided to drop this bomb on him.

"I'm not going to make her into a second Christa." Ayato quietly added in the pin-drop silence that followed his confession. "She's too precious for that."

Laito blinked a couple of times. "Wow..." he whistled in awe. "That girl's totally got you wrapped around her little finger."

"You don't even know half of it." Ayato grumbled, half to himself.

"Do you... Do you actually, like... Are you serious about her?" Laito asked haltingly trying to wrap his mind around what this all meant. He suddenly realized that he was no longer dealing with some schoolyard crush nor some fickle form of lust. Marriage? This was legit on a whole 'nother level.

"Ya think I'd be this stressed out if I wasn't?"

"Yes? That's a _yes_, right?"

"Aww, look at this everyone! My baby brother's all growing up!" Laito squealed suddenly in jest, jumping onto Ayato's stomach in order to wrestle the depressed sod. This was golden. His thousand-watt smile was rewarded with a withering glare. His incessant badgering was worth the wait.

"Don't patronize me." Ayato grumbled as he pushed his overly-zealous twin off of the couch. Ayato prickle in indignation. _This_ is why he should have kept his lips zipped rather than cracking under the peer pressure.

"Loosen up a bit!" He chuckled. "So then... If it's not about the dirty deed, what did you do to piss her off so badly?"

"How the fuck would I know? Maybe she just hates my guts after all."

"Pfft. There's no way that's true. It's not like she's been deceiving you this entire time."

"What if she has? Yuuki's a smart girl. She could have been using me all along, and now that she's no longer a human, she doesn't want my protection anymore."

"Okay, now you're really being ridiculous. She's nowhere near that evil. You're taking it out on her 'cause you're feeling all heart-broken and you're going to regret doubting her someday. I'm only saying it now so that I can say that I told you so later on."

"Glad to know you've got my back."

"I do have your back!"

"Sure. That's exactly why you're siding with her."

"Be that way then. I'm siding with Koinu-cchi since she's more level headed than you."

Ayato's frown deepened. "She's the one being all moody."

"Yeah, says the sulky little boy."

"Shut up."

"Oh-Kay. It's not my problem anyway."

Ayato's frustration grew by the second. Yuuki's constant rejection of his advances didn't add up. And why the hell was she having another damned play date with Kanato? He couldn't stand watching her acting all defenseless and happy with his crybaby womb-mate.

Laito's fingers played on invisible piano keys at the ends of his armrest. He was getting restless.

"You know what, Ayato?" Laito piped up. "I'm going to go join those two. Wanna tag along?"

Although the idea of crashing their little tea party with his sub-zero degree mood seemed appealing, Ayato didn't want to face Yuuki. She couldn't see how much he'd been lowering himself for her sake. It's like his effort to keep from exuding his awesomeness with every breath went completely unnoticed. Some people were so ungrateful.

Laito took his silence for a "no" and left the youngest of the triplets to mope by himself.

* * *

Back in her bedroom, the purple-haired brother found himself having to deal with a frustrated vampirette (which was never a good thing).

"Can you believe it, Kanato? He's being so unbelievably pushy." Yuuki complained, breathless from her previous ranting.

"It's only because he likes you, Yuu-chan." He stated absently as he held up a dress. "I think you should wear this one."

Yuuki puffed. "No, no. That's too fancy, Kanato. I'm not in the mood for it."

"Yuu-chan, my patience is wearing thin."

She plopped down on her seat and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to bore you."

"You can try to make amends if it makes you this unhappy."

"That would be the mature thing to do. But he can't boss me around just because he likes me."

"It's not like you don't like him back. Didn't I tell you to stop making yourself miserable?"

"I wouldn't expect myself to follow the advice of a psychotic vampire so easily," she let slip without thinking.

"That's harsh, you know..."

"Oh gosh, Kanato." Yuuki gasped when she realized what she had just uttered. "Don't take it personally – I just have a bad temper. No wait, don't cry! I didn't mean it."

"An apology isn't enough." Kanato sniffled.

"Sorry, sorry! I'll wear the dress, okay? So take it easy."

"Really?"

Yuuki thanked her stars that he was relatively easy to please. "Yes, really. So go stand in the corridor."

"Okay," Kanato happily complied. Laito was standing outside, just about to knock.

"Oh. Hold on a moment - she's about to change." Kanato shut the door behind him. "What are you doing here?"

"Paying Koinu a visit. Ayato's bringing_ my _spirits down."

"Same here." The brothers sighed collectively.

"Somehow, we both got caught up in this mess." Laito mused.

"Wish they would hurry up and get over it."

"Their too stubborn to do anything by themselves, though."

A muffled call interrupted their rare, brotherly heart-to-heart. "Kanato, you can come in now!"

"Yuu-chan, guess who came to cheer you up."

"Hello, Laito." Yuuki greeted tersely.

"My, you look more stunning everyday, Koinu-cchi."

The object of appreciation was not flattered. "Thank Kanato for that."

"Mm. I was wondering if you'd come down to the library today. I need a suitable audience."

"An audience for what?" The invitation was a futile effort from the start.

"Well, it would be sad if my piano playing fell on deaf ears, wouldn't it?"

"That's a good idea." Kanato voiced. "Some music would be a nice change of pace."

"Then you can just sing for me, right Kanato? Sorry Laito, but you'll just have to practice on your own."

* * *

Ayato had started to wander around while brooding, letting his feet lead him to God-knows-where without a care. When he came to his senses, he found himself standing in front of Yuuki's bedroom and heard a squeal and subsequent laughter from within. His curiosity won over his hesitation, so he entered her room.

Laito had somehow coaxed her into dancing with him, and Kanato clapped along to a happy tune as the duo twirled around at the foot of her bed.

Kanato's singing abruptly stopped when he saw Ayato at the door. Yuuki was the last one to notice the intrusion, nearly tripping on Laito's foot when he didn't sway as expected. The grin melted off her face. Laito steadied her reflexively and the three stared at Ayato with uncertainty and caution.

"Ayato..." Yuuki whispered, looking positively frightened and mortified.

He was livid. The sight of Yuuki in the arms of the eldest triplet immediately ignited his already-simmering unhappiness.

"Didn't I," the red-head started slowly, "tell you two bastards?" He reached out and grabbed Laito by the collar. Nobody moved. "Keep your _filthy_ hands off my Yuuki!" Ayato roared and threw Laito into the air.

"WHAT THE HELL, AYATO?!" Yuuki screamed as Laito flew into Kanato and they crashed against the vanity. She covered her mouth in horror. Her broken mirror amplified the scene.

Ayato slapped the girl. She held her offended cheek with a terrified expression.

"And you," he snarled. "Are you trying to become a slut?"

"You. Bastard!" Yuuki yelped, landing a sucker punch squarely on his chest. He stumbled to the ground. "If you have a problem with me, then deal with it directly. Don't you dare hurt your own freaking brothers. They have nothing to do with this!"

"It's alright," Laito called out, helping Kanato up. "We're fine. A toss like that doesn't hurt much."

His interjection didn't do much to douse Yuuki's fury. The two stayed in the room if only to mediate and make sure things didn't escalate. Yuuki sat on top of Ayato's stomach to keep him from getting up.

"You idiot!" She battered his chest with her fists.

Tears were streaking down her face. Ayato lay speechless, a part of him wanting to reach out and wipe them away. He didn't mean to make her cry.

"Let's go," Kanato whispered to Laito. It didn't look like they'd have to break the two children apart after all. If things went well, they would probably make up. Maybe even make out.

Laito nodded silently and the two left to give the couple some much-needed privacy. He had a feeling that things would get worse if they continued to involve themselves.

"Don't you dare look away from the problem, Ayato." She continued with broken sobs. "Don't you dare look away from me."

That's not what she had meant to say. It's just what stumbled out of her mouth. Her inner thought was reflected on Ayato's surprised face.

He didn't resist her physical attacks, since they were nothing in comparison to the blow to his heart.

"Never again, never again..." Yuuki weakly repeated with each strike. It was like she was hitting herself. Breaking her walls down. Ayato grabbed her fist to stop her from continuing.

"Never again." Ayato agreed solemnly.

* * *

A/N: See? I won't leave you guys hanging forever, no matter how sadistic my writing style is. Frankly, I don't understand what the problem was in the first place, but at least Ayato and Yuuki are finally on the same page. It's suitable that they make up via another fight - I'm not an avid believer in "love conquers all" ^,^'

Now, I think Shu, Reiji, and Subaru need to be addressed. They've been absent for far too long.


	7. Vengeance Left Unfulfilled

"Shu, have you called that man yet?"

The young man opened an eye to see Reiji, who looked down at him with a sour face.

"Yes," the eldest answered curtly.

"What did he say?"

"He's annoyed that we've destroyed his castle. He'll take care of the money to fix it."

"Tch. I'll need to punish Laito later." He re-adjusted his glasses.

"What for?" Shu yawned disinterestedly.

"It's thanks to him that I have so much extra work."

"Oh, I thought you liked being in control of the household affairs."

Reiji frowned. "It's supposed to be your responsibility as the head of the family. When will you stop being such a lazy brat?"

"It's a nuisance." Shu rolled over. "Besides, we've gotten rid of those two because of Laito. There's no need to start a riot."

"_Pushing the workload onto me again._" Reiji thought bitterly, crossing his arms. "Did you tell our father _why_ the wing burned down?" he asked aloud.

"Obviously."

"And?"

"He never loved that woman anyway. And Richter was dead to him ever since they broke ties," he added apathetically.

"True," Reiji admitted, although he was growing more and more annoyed. His older brother obviously took love for granted.

Construction noises pierced through the hostile silence.

"Ugh." Shu covered his ears with a decorative pillow. "Not again."

"How about you go babysit Yuuki?" Reiji suggested, equally distressed. "You can't hear it from her side of the mansion."

"Good idea. How is she doing?"

"You can find out for yourself... I heard that the younger ones are bickering among themselves."

"What a handful." Shu sat up.

"Agreed. I'm going to go supervise the workers since you won't bother to do anything productive."

"I might have it if it weren't so loud and obnoxious," he said while standing up, "but I'll survive." He tuned up the volume on his mp3 player to the point where others could faintly hear the music blaring from the earbuds. Reiji secretly wished that they would deafen him, so that Shu would be robbed of the only joy in his pitiful existence.

"This isn't the first fire that's ruining my life..." Shu muttered to himself before leaving to go visit Yuuki.

The sentiment went unacknowledged, although it was clearly heard by the second son. Shu never knew that it was in fact _Reiji_ who had burned down the village of his best friend, Edgar. And until revealing the truth would be prove beneficial to him as a weapon against his older brother, it would remain a secret forever.

"You will definitely learn the horrors of ignoring our mother's attention one day." Reiji scowled. "I will strictly commit it to your memory."

* * *

A/N: Although Laito and Kanato have uncharacteristically been getting along because of Yuuki, it doesn't change the fact that the members of the Sakamaki family technically still hate each other. Reiji's jealousy will probably last until his immortal life ends. However if they put their mutual dislike aside, I feel like Shu and Reiji would understand each other best.


	8. Baby-Sitting

Yuuki returned to her room after a nice, long bath to see a lump underneath her covers. A glance at her destroyed vanity made her sigh for the umpteenth time.

"Ayato, you better take responsibility and replace it for me... It's your fault," she muttered as she climbed on top of the bed.

"What are you mumbling about?"

"Shu?! What are you doing here?"

"Taking a nap."

"Well, I can see that." The scenario seemed oddly familiar. "You better get out before Ayato murders you."

"Mm, but it's nice and comfortable here..."

Yuuki tried rolling him off the bed. He was far too heavy for her, regardless of her increased strength.

"Can you move, please?"

"Make me," he replied, unconcerned.

"Ugh, I already tried if you haven't noticed." She stood up anyway and lightly kicked his side with her foot.

"Light blue..."

"Huh?"

"Your panties."

Yuuki flushed with embarrassment. "You pervert! What the hell are you looking at? Forget Ayato - I'll kill you myself."

Shu chuckled and closed his eyes again. Yuuki gave up and plopped down beside him.

"I'm being serious, you know."

"If it bothers you that much, why don't you go sleep somewhere else?"

"You can't kick me out of my own room!"

"I'm sure Ayato would be happy to accept your company."

"I'm sure he would."

"Feel bad for the guy... Liking a girl who wears unsexy underwear..."

Yuuki smothered him with a pillow.

"I'm not wearing them for _you._ Why are you always teasing me like this?"

Shu yawned and rolled away from her. "If you have nothing interesting to say, then can't you stay silent?"

"Well, I'm sorry." Yuuki replied sarcastically, resting her head on top of her knees. She wrapped her arms around her legs.

Shu's general disinterest in her wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Had she chosen him, she'd probably be able to live in peace. But it would be an extremely dull existence. Cordelia had said it best - boredom was the worst trial an immortal could face. In that sense, Ayato could provide her with an eventful and exciting life, no matter how much they'd argue in between.

"Hey, Shu?"

The young man grunted in reply.

"What do you think about becoming my older brother?"

"Huh?"

"If I marry Ayato." Yuuki blushed and twiddled her fingers. "Hypothetically, of course."

"Oh." Shu sat up lazily. "Honestly, I don't really care about my siblings. Don't know what you're expecting..."

"I was an only child," Yuuki explained. She wasn't looking him directly in the eye.

Although her shyness was endearing, the male realized that he didn't necessarily want to sleep with a little sister... Babysitting, indeed. Shu smirked and tousled her hair.

"I don't think I would dislike it," he admitted before getting off her bed and disappearing. The girl stared at the empty space left behind for a moment.

"What was that about?" Yuuki asked herself, bewildered.

It had certainly been a very odd exchange - in a family that was never quite normal.

* * *

A/N: With all the pillow-whacking that goes on, I wonder why they haven't just held a household pillow fight already... Ooh, wait, that sounds like a fun idea =]

Decided to give y'all a nice, quiet chapter for once. And Yuuki spends the bulk of it thinking about you-know-who. Isn't it sweet? Just kidding ;) I won't let them get together until things have been broken and many other things have been fixed. Cheers!


	9. A Mundane Affair

Yuuki quietly watched the sky lighten, gradually transitioning between night to day.

The refreshingly chilly morning air would have once made her shiver, but her skin simply matched the cool temperature. The warmth was apparently one human quality that Ayato missed. Despite that small detail, he remained exceedingly pleased with the idea that she had joined the rank of the immortals and would therefore be able to live by his side forever.

To her, the promise of eternity was still quite frightening. She had retreated into a corner, trying to deny the expanse of time before her. If she could accept the truth, then maybe another sunrise wouldn't bear so heavily on her mind. Yuuki turned away from her balcony.

She had forgotten that there were servants within the mansion - nearly invisible, but always present when necessary. They were the ones who cleaned up the shattered furniture within her room. The wall where her vanity used to stand seemed empty, and she almost envied it. Someone knocked on her door to disrupt her churning thoughts.

"Good morning, Reiji." Yuuki greeted as he walked in. "You must have just come back from school."

"Yes, and that's precisely what I came to discuss."

"I refuse to go."

"I'm aware. However, I still hold judicial power over your actions."

"How would my attending school benefit you, Reiji?"

"None whatsoever. It's what we've been ordered to do as your hosts."

"My absence hasn't caused a problem so far."

"It seems that unexplained disappearance is quite common in our school. Don't think that we can't cause yours. That said, people will start to question your supposed illness soon."

"The Sakamaki household has enough influence to keep people quiet."

"This is not the problem, Yuuki."

"Then what is?"

"It's your education. Therefore, if you continue to defy your responsibilities and not attend school - I will be forced to act as your instructor."

Yuuki shuddered. God knows how tough he'd be if she made a single mistake.

"I would rather avoid that, as I'm busy with the recovery of the mansion. And Kanato is starting to become quite a headache."

"Meaning?"

"He complains that if I have enough time to tutor you, then I should fix his stuffed toy."

Yuuki laughed. "Why not just have him learn how to sew by himself?"

"I am perfectly capable of such a simple task."

"I'm not mocking your capabilities, Reiji. It's a practical skill. Besides, if Kanato learns it, he can put it into good use."

"How so?"

"I feel like he could become a fashion designer or something. He's quite talented, you know."

Reiji scowled. "I wouldn't put such a sissy hobby past him."

"That's cruel! Don't degrade his strengths like that. Nobody likes a bully." She defended. "Oh yea, how is Subaru doing, by the way? I haven't seen him in ages."

"I tend to leave the others alone if they do likewise."

Yuuki stretched. "Mm, maybe he's avoiding me. He's a lone wolf after all."

"Hm," Reiji surveyed her room. "Looks like they've cleaned up. I've already ordered the new furniture for you."

"Oh, thank you very much."

"I must thoroughly discipline Ayato and Laito for destroying things left and right without regard for the fact that I'm the one who has to clean up afterward."

Yuuki smiled sympathetically. "You must be exhausted."

"Quite so." He stated in his butler-like manner. Yuuki sat down on her bed.

"I've forgotten to thank you."

"Are you experiencing amnesia, young lady?"

She waved her hand. "Not for the vanity. For saving my life. I heard that you had created the remedy for my revival. Did you make it in the lab next door?"

"Obviously... There's no particular reason to be grateful. It was my duty."

"Of course there is, Reiji. Somehow, you've become a guardian to me. See, you even scold me when I act stubborn and childish and refuse to go to school. You even offered to help me catch up. So, thank you. For putting up with all of this." She gestured at herself.

Reiji remained silent because he didn't know how to respond. Nobody ever thanked him for his efforts. He felt a bubbling sensation in his chest, which somewhat alarmed him. Was something wrong with his physical condition? Maybe the stress really_ was_ getting to him. Vampires weren't all-powerful beings, although they possessed heightened endurance. He should always be aware of his own limits.

"Ah, that reminds me."

Yuuki perked up.

"Blood or cranberry juice?"

"Blood today, I'm afraid," Yuuki grimaced. Reiji snapped his fingers and a fresh glass of red liquid was delivered on a silver tray via a maid who belonged to a haunted house. Yuuki's logical side reminded her that she was practically living in a haunted house. In fact, she could be considered one of the main attractions.

The girl chugged the drink as if it was medicine. "Why is it always so gross?" She asked, wiping her stained lips. "Aren't I supposed to like it now that I'm a vampire?"

"Firstly, that hospital-grade, low quality blood tastes disgusting to any vampire. Secondly, it was once frozen and needed to be thawed out."

"Can I have that cranberry juice after all? I need to wash off this taste."

After taking a few sips, Yuuki exhaled deeply with relief. "Ah, much better."

She swished the glass around and was reminded of an issue that had been nagging her for the past few days.

"Reiji, can I ask a question before you go?" She put the glass down on the nightstand and braced herself.

"What is it?"

"Do female vampires have periods?"

"Huh?" He blurted - a glaring lapse in his perfectly-composed exterior. She had never seen the young man so caught of guard in her life.

"You know... time of the moon? Menstrual cycles?"

"Yes, yes, I'm aware." In fact, all the vampires in the household had been painfully aware of her monthly schedule. They had found it easier to avoid her during those few days as much as possible. The convenience of living with a human did have it's consequences. "And no, they do not."

"Then how do they become pregnant?" Yuuki asked, quite shocked at the revelation.

"Like normal," Reiji nearly whimpered. Although his complete embarrassment_ was_ quite amusing, she needed to provide him an escape for etiquette's sake.

"Sorry, I know it's awkward. I was just wondering since I was late. Thanks for answering my question."

Reiji coughed in acknowledgment before exiting the bedroom swiftly.

She burst out laughing once he was gone and definitely out of earshot. "Oh my! What a scene. Well, I'm sure a vampirette on the rag would be a terrifying experience in itself."

Her laughter faded into a soft chuckle.

"Oh, but that means-" Yuuki blushed and covered her face at the thought that all the males in vicinity knew exactly when to leave her alone. She hadn't given it proper thought before. "I'm so stupid! Of course they did. Of course it wasn't a coincidence."

The conversation would be be forever ingrained in her memory for various reasons, but at least it humanized the most uptight of the brothers.

* * *

A/N: Just try and tell me that you weren't wondering, because the thought has probably crossed your mind at one point. Sorry to all you Reiji fangirls - he has somehow become the "strict father figure". I don't know exactly how it happened, but it did. Oh well. I thought it'd be cute if he felt embarrassed about the facts of life, like a father who has to give the birds and the bees talk... Yes, I just said the word "cute" to describe him. Problem?

This chapter is a prime example of how I deal with reverse harems when I've already picked a route. The extras shall be given new roles even if they're perfectly eligible to be lovers. Yuuki was never a promiscuous girl. She was raised by a church, gosh darn it. She will never go down that path, no matter how much the fanbase's dirty minds roar!

(Also, we've had a cameo appearance of Yuuki's logical side if you've noticed. I missed that little bugger.)


	10. The Path of Guilt

Subaru stared at the direction of Yuuki's window from the garden. Because the construction of the ruined wing was nearly finished, a few moments of peace and quiet occasionally fell upon the household. It was a rare opportunity to feel like he was still in touch the rest of the world - that their timelines were ticking to the same tune.

Normally, it seemed like he was stuck in a limbo, totally forgotten amidst the buzzing activity. Even when the Ayato fought Laito for the sake of one girl and her happiness, even when Shu (who seemed to be in a fairly good mood) had actually done some trivial activity without prompting and surprised everyone else, even when Kanato had started a boatload of random hobbies, and even when Reiji stepped over everyone's toes trying to keep things running smoothly - he felt disconnected. Overshadowed by his older brothers with nothing to show for himself.

Subaru was _useless_. He was unwanted and filthy. He was unnecessary. His existence was born through an accident. Maybe he should try that locking-oneself-up thing that seemed to be in trend lately. That physical prison could at least announce it's presence to the world.

So he just stared at her window, trying to figure out how she felt from afar. Maybe it was borderline stalker-ish activity, but he couldn't help from comparing her to his mother. The thought frightened him. Was she hiding from him, or was he hiding from her? Why could the others walk freely in and out of her room without hindrance when he felt chains of guilt holding him back?

But what right did he have in the first place? He couldn't protect Yuuki when it had mattered. Subaru was powerless when it came to those he cared about. That's why he broke whatever was in front of him whenever he got angry - he was simply frustrated with himself. That's why he couldn't bear to face Yuuki. He was afraid that he'd break her, too...

Such a destructive person should not exist. That was the only conclusion he could come to. Subaru took out the accursed silver knife, the source of his misery. Maybe it was time. He needed to be punished for his sins...

* * *

A/N: Suicidal Subaru needs an appropriately serious chapter. I know this was badly written. Forgive me, I'll make it up with a better one. Real life is calling for my attention.

Funny how Ayato and Subaru beat themselves up for nearly the same reason. I'm sorry for being so unoriginal. But gosh, now that I think about it - those two are pretty alike in the sense that they are both tsundere. The big difference was their relationship with their mothers. Therefore, one has an inflated (yet fragile) ego, the other has an extremely low self-esteem. And they both make me wave my hands around in large, exasperated gestures ;)


	11. Affectionate Natures

"And look at this one, too," he pointed out enthusiastically.

"Wow, Kanato, you're impressing me more and more everyday!"

Yuuki's compliments made him blush. At her encouragement, he had started delving into creative past-times left and right. He'd eagerly show her the finished products, and she would always stop whatever she was doing in order to give a hundred percent of her concentration. They became something that Yuuki genuinely praised and looked forward to, since life would be boring without the entertainment he provided. Sometimes he would sing to her, other days he would dress her up, or display his new creation. She filled that empty space in his heart with motherly attention. Over a relatively short period of time, Kanato had mellowed down by putting his energy into productive endeavors.

Yuuki had never expected to unveil such a prodigy. Who knew that Kanato's perceived insanity was a side effect of being an unpolished diamond in the rough? He was bubbling up with unsatisfied capabilities which would occasionally overflow when he couldn't take it anymore. Kanato was a victim of talent. Yuuki had simply taught him how to use it as a tool rather than a weapon against himself and those around him. All he needed was a gentle push in the right direction.

_If I can do something to help the people around me_, Yuuki thought,_ then I don't feel like cursing my situation anymore._

Sometimes, the genius was standing right in front of you. You just failed to recognize them. It takes all sorts of people to raise a single child. Yuuki was proud to be "one of those people" for the vampire sitting next to her. He put his things away before looking up at her with a somewhat concerned face.

"Yuu-chan..."

"Hmm?"

"I've been trying to stick Teddy's head back on, but it's not working out." He held up the toy to show her.

"You're supposed to take the stuffing out first!"

"Oh. No wonder."

Yuuki chuckled. "But I don't know how to sew, so make sure to ask Reiji if you have any questions."

"But he's such a mean teacher."

Yuuki nodded gravely. "But even then... he knows better than me."

"Yuu-chan, you look like you've just swallowed a cup of lemon juice!" Kanato laughed.

She was indeed cringing. Her study sessions with Reiji were just as scary as she had expected them to be. It might be easier on herself to simply go back to school, but she didn't want to end her seclusion right after she had reconciled with Ayato. It would make it seem like her happiness was dependent on him – not something she come to terms with for herself. She was struggling to find solid ground in a transitional phase in her life. Yuuki had a hard time being decisive when her mindset was still shaky. And why should she intentionally jump out of the frying pan and into the fire until she felt prepared to do so?

"Well," Kanato stood up, "I'm going now." He poked his head back into the room a second after he walked out. "Oh, a mister frowny-face is here to see you." Kanato demonstrated the bitter expression before cracking a nutty smile of his own. "Bye-bye!"

_Ayato? Noo, wait. Please - not Reiji! _

She immediately started pleading for mercy the second her door opened once again.

"I'm so sorry! Please forgive my lost soul! I admit it - I haven't finished the packet yet. Come back later!" Yuuki begged earnestly, frantically bowing with her entire body. She continued yapping like a distressed puppy, "Actually, no - let Shu teach me instead! Please? He listens to you, Reiji. Just-"

"Uh..." It wasn't the voice she was expecting.

"Huh?" Yuuki opened her eyes to see the youngest brother standing before her. She could literally hear the crickets chirping.

"Oh, it's just you, Subaru." She sighed with relief before blushing. "Err, ignore all of that. By the way, where have you been all this time? I've been missing your face, you know!"

Subaru blinked, rendered speechless for a few seconds. He was not expecting to see her so energetic and _healthy_. And did he hear her right? Had she really missed him?

"Not Reiji." He burped, unable to offer a proper response.

Yuuki giggled nervously. "I can see that. What brings you here today?"

Subaru's face darkened, reminded of the reason why he had come to see her in the first place.

Yuuki immediately grew serious, as his expression told her that he wasn't here for fun and games.

"What's the matter?" Her maternal instincts switched on as her "antenna" picked up on distress signals. Equating her to a loyal puppy was truly a proper comparison. She was acting just like man's best friend - upset when those around her were sad, content when those around her were happy. Her sense of emotions were as keen as any female's, regardless of whether it was a dog-like characteristic or not.

"I thought that you had the right to know..." Subaru started.

* * *

A/N: Ugh, I know. Another cliffhanger... I'm busy, guys. I promise that I'll finish this mini-arc as soon as possible, so please bear with me. Until then, I hope you enjoy this little chapter and have a wonderful day ^_^ But in regards to the actual developments brewing - I think it's a good thing that Subaru had not seen Yuuki until her spirits were back up. We need some serious healing here.


	12. Retribution and Reality

"So that's why... Why the hell are _you_ crying?!"

"Because," Yuuki babbled, wiping a tear with the heel of her palm, "it's so _sad_. I feel bad for poor Christa. I never had a reason to dislike Karlheinz before, but now I understand why you hate him."

Subaru's immediate reaction to his father's name turned out to be a fist, but he slowly unclenched it when Yuuki rested her hand lightly on him. The pressure was reassuring.

It was hard to talk about his mother. To tell Yuuki about how Christa was forced into marriage and that he was conceived when she had been raped. To admit his guilt for her death. At some points, his anger boiled over and he threw a pillow at the wall or something in his rage. But Yuuki always stopped him, calmed him down, and coaxed him to continue. The girl nervously explained that she didn't want more of her furniture to be broken. And she listened without interruption, wearing a sympathetic expression – like she understood every word that he was saying.

"Here. I wanted to apologize for putting this burden on you," Subaru stated as he took out the silver knife. She stared at it blankly when he tried to hand it to her and it infuriated him. It was not often that the he said wimpy things like "apologize" god dammit. Why the hell was Little Miss Waterworks making things more challenging when they were already difficult in the first place?

"Why are you giving this back to me?" she inquired while starting to reach for it.

"Because I need you to fulfill my request. There's nobody else who can do it." He knew what he was asking for was downright cruel. He had to go through the guilt of killing an innocent person once, and now was forcing that experience upon someone else. But suicide was not retribution enough. He needed to be punished. "I know it's selfish of me, but-"

"It is selfish."

"Huh?"

Yuuki was angry. Her expression hardened, and it was the steel in her voice that had surprised him.

"How dare you expect me to do something like this?" She demanded, but her lips started to quiver once again. "How dare you think so low of yourself?" Yuuki started sobbing, and it became Subaru's turn to try to comfort her and get her to act rationally.

"Subaru, you are _not_ filthy. You are _not_ unwanted and useless. You most definitely are _not_ guilty for what I did to myself," Yuuki continued once she recovered her ability to speak. Her sleeves were wet with her tears. "I wanted to _thank_ you all this time. You were the only one who tried to help me out back then, and even gave me an escape. And it was because of you that we were able to get an upper hand over that wretched woman in the first place. So don't beat yourself up for it, Subaru. Because I couldn't bear it if you disappeared in such a lonely way."

Flabbergasted. That was the only way to describe his condition. Was this for real? Had some entity really felt this way about someone as small and insignificant as him _all this time_?

"Thank you for telling me all this, Subaru. I know it wasn't easy... Now I see what _I've_ been doing wrong." Yuuki stated breathlessly. "I haven't been fair to the others. I haven't thought how my actions were affecting you. I've been so self-serving... I'm ashamed of myself."

She reached out and took the half-forgotten knife from his lap.

"Something as dangerous as this shouldn't exist."

"You can't just throw it away." Subaru reasoned. No matter how many detrimental feelings the object held, it did hold sentimental value as a memento from his late mother.

"It can still be changed." She gingerly held up her silver rosary with her fingertips. "Nobody and nothing is a lost cause. If it can give you hope instead of despair, it can be changed."

And the burden was lifted. Just like that. All the pressure that had nearly made him crack, all the negativity he had endured for years, and all the regret that he had shouldered, and self-hate, and hesitation, and distrust, and uncertainty – all gone. Wiped clean by this fragile girl. The only thing left was a dull sense of peace. He was not a lost cause anymore. How did she manage to take all the responsibility with a few simple words?

"I'll give this back to you if you promise not to act stupidly." Forgiveness, apparently, would be his sole retribution.

He took the knife since he didn't feel afraid of it. What miracle or madness was this?

"Idiot. I don't believe in God." Subaru responded, getting up with a sigh that released all of his bottled emotions. He felt worn out yet elated.

"... But I will still believe," she replied quietly. "Because man is weak - I still believe."

Yuuki smiled through her tears and he was rendered awestruck.

If angels existed, it would be the girl sitting in front of him.

* * *

A/N: Okay, take a deep breath first _-_ since that was a lot to take in. Now exhale. You feeling good about life? Okay, then surely you won't mind me nagging you a bit, right? Probably. So... was that good enough? Maybe? Err, whatever. I'm ruining the atmosphere at this point.

Just for you all, I actually went ahead and read the "manga" - correct me if I'm wrong, but it seemed like a series of doujinshis. It was not as bad as I was expecting it to be. My point is that I shall attempt to adapt some of those elements into later chapters to help, y'know, immerse yourself into the story and feel like it still somewhat follows the canon.

Fun fact: Fire is a source of purification. Like when black smiths melt the ore in order to separate the good from the bad. This is Yuuki's reasoning when it comes to changing the knife into an object of faith... I hope that this did enough justice to Subaru. He had legit_ zero_ presence for a long time, so I really wanted to address him.


	13. Mental Preparation

Yuuki had fallen asleep after Subaru left her room, and a small smile remained on her lips.

"Oi~ pancake. Wake up." A gentle poke to the cheek prodded her back to life.

"Looks like you had a good dream," Ayato noted as she rubbed her eyes.

"Ayato... Whatter you doing here?" the vampirette slurred.

Ayato shrugged. "Just came up to tell you that your furniture's here."

"Oh, that so... When did it arrive?"

"Err, like twenty minutes ago." He wasn't going to admit that he was staring at her sleeping face. This woman was too goddamn adorable for her own good. Acting all defenseless and shit. Besides, it was her fault that he wasted his precious time... even if she wasn't really trying.

"I better go now. Reiji's forcing me and Laito to carry the stupid thing all the way up."

"Haha, for like, punishment? Sounds like him." She plopped her hands down on her lap with a contented sigh and looked up him with – dare he think it – bedroom eyes.

Fuck logic.

He leaned in to give her a quick kiss before getting off of the mattress. Yuuki was definitely awake now.

"What was that for?" she asked as her cheeks blossomed rosily.

"Idiot, it's not that big a deal," Ayato responded. "I can kiss what's mine whenever I feel like it." He disappeared without another moment of hesitation.

_Screw their abilities. Making me feel all flustered on my own._ Yuuki thought, trying to will herself to be annoyed.

They somehow reached the casual-make-out stage of their relationship without her knowledge.

_What relationship?_ She asked herself, but the angry inner rant attempt failed miserably. She could not deny that, yes, they were a couple. It wasn't official yet. But it happened. Somehow. And for inexplicable reasons, Ayato was being very straight forward about "them" and whatever was between the two.

_I mean, he's asked me to marry him. I owe him the same honesty at the very least. _

In essence, she had pledged her entire life to him the moment she had decided to rely on his protection. Was that a mistake? Possibly.

_And what about Subaru?_ She shook the thought from her head and threw her hesitation away. Kanato was right – she did love Ayato. And if she honored her pride, then she would not entertain thoughts about other options. One of her best traits was loyalty after all. Sure, Ayato was the first choice (and first choices were not necessarily the best choices) but there was no need to rush. Subaru didn't spark these unexpected feelings like Ayato did.

_Therefore, the stuck up brat it is. Sorry Subaru, but you snooze – you lose. _Yuuki was proud that her heart and her brain came to a mutual conclusion. She was surprisingly rational about the whole affair._ There's no need to create unnecessary drama anyway. I'm not Cordelia._

_Besides, romance doesn't need to be complicated. _There was nothing stopping her from loving those around her. Just that there was different forms of the love - a different special place for everyone to belong. She stared at the door blankly, in awe of herself.

_Wow, Yuuki. What happened to you? You just slept on it and it seems like the entire world just flipped right side up again. Not that I'm complaining._

Yuuki grinned from ear to ear. Ayato would have called her a creep if he was still there.

_Looks like I'm mentally prepared... Took me long enough._

* * *

A/N: Sorry, I've gotten sick and tired of Yuuki locking herself up. And doing another "self-made drama" arc again would defeat the purpose of the first one. Honestly, I'm on Team Subaru and was chanting "drop him, drop him, drop him" to myself when writing this. But it would be weird if "Revised" was pro-Ayato while "Rebirth" was pro-Subaru, so I decided to be consistent. That means the youngest is going to be hopelessly friend-zoned, alright? (I've told you in advance so you can mentally prepare yourselves for an onslaught of AyatoxYuuki and can't complain about it later.) Also, I apologize for Ayato's potty mouth. He started it =3=


	14. Occasionally Pampered

"Wa~ow, Reiji, this is really nice." Yuuki complimented as she ran her hand over the dark exterior of her new vanity.

"Ugh, that was major pain," Ayato groaned as he massaged cricks in his neck.

"Don't complain, Ayato. You've got supernatural strength – this shouldn't be a problem."

"You try picking it up, then! It weighs a ton."

"Actually, his point is valid," Reiji interjected. "I bought the heaviest piece available."

"What for~?" Laito asked, equally tired from hauling it up the stairs and maneuvering it into place.

"It would be shameful to have a piece of furniture that could break due to a tiny skirmish. I will only accept the highest quality and nothing less."

"Well,_ I'm_ happy with this. So... how much do I have to pay you back?" It was obviously an expensive piece, so she would not be surprised if she was indebted with some six figure digit. Reiji was sadistic enough to do something like that.

"You don't have to worry about that, pipsqueak." Ayato suddenly said defensively.

"Are you sure?" Yuuki asked hesitantly as she glanced at Laito and Reiji in turn. Neither seemed particularly concerned.

"It is as Ayato says... You can consider that as your own, free of charge."

_Whoa, Reiji's being generous? The world really MUST have flipped over._

She threw her arms around Reiji out of surprise and joy. "Really? It's mine? Oh, thank you! I love it!"

The second eldest tried to hide his flustered state. "Yes, well," he grumbled, "just don't destroy this one. That would be unpleasant."

Yuuki withdrew herself and hugged the vanity, humming as she did so.

"If that is all, we -"

"Oh, actually!"

The three stopped to look at Yuuki.

"Yes?" Reiji prodded, somewhat annoyed.

"I need to go shopping to replace some of the things that were in it."

"Then write a list of what you need, and I'll order it."

"No, I was wondering if I could... you know... actually go out shopping."

Silence. Ayato broke it with a "Say wha~?"

"Because, I need to look for the items personally and stuff!" Yuuki explained, feeling awfully self conscious. "Of course, I'm fine with having someone come with me as a chaperone. To, like, try to keep me from escaping and stuff."

"Koinu, did you catch a fever or something?"

_Do vampires even catch colds?_

"Is something wrong with your head?" Ayato asked, checking her forehead's temperature.

"I'm _fine,_" she insisted and swatted his hand away. "Oh-kay, I'm sorry for asking. I knew it was a stupid request in the first place."

Disappointed, Yuuki turned around and pouted to herself quietly, "And I was hoping I could go out on a date with Ayato."

"No..." Reiji said slowly. "We're just surprised that you wanted to go out."

"Oh, that's it?" Yuuki burped, turning around hopefully.

"Did I hear you right, pancake?" Ayato said, finally recovering from his shock.

Laito smooshed up next to her. "If you wanted to go on a date, you could have just asked me."

"Laito, you bastard." Ayato threatened, while cracking his knuckles. "You've got _some_ nerve."

"Hey hey, guys. Calm down. Not right in front of the new vanity." Yuuki cautioned. "I didn't mean to make such a fuss. And no thanks, Laito. I wouldn't get permission anyway."

"... You can go."

"Huh?"

Reiji raised his voice. "You have permission to go shopping. But only under the supervision of the family. And since Ayato will murder anyone who goes near Yuuki, and that would be a problem, he will be the one to accompany her. Understood?"

The three gaped at Reiji.

"Reiji, can I kiss you?" Yuuki asked breathlessly. Never, never, never had she expected Reiji to have such a soft corner for her. _Or maybe he's just created a kindness potion by accident, and some of it happened to fall into his morning tea. Also by accident._ She wasn't going to pretend that his unusual charity had anything to do with her.

"Hold it, pancake! What are you thinking?" Ayato asked, alarmed. She wasn't becoming unfaithful to him now, was she?

Reiji and Laito escaped before they could witness another quarrel.

"I didn't expect that. Least of all from you." Laito commented.

"It's better than handling a grouchy teenage girl. Seriously, those two are such a handful."

Reiji would forever excuse his actions as simply a way to take care of Yuuki's dejected attitude, since he was the one dealing with the "consequences of her unending selfishness". It really had nothing to do with the particular girl herself. Or, at least, that's what he told himself. Besides, his decisions would remain the same if it had been anyone else. Reiji refused to develop a weakness for anyone. An Achille's heel would mar his desire to achieve cold perfection. And that could not be allowed. Reiji would not allow it.

But it was too late to say "no"... Not when Yuuki was so ecstatic about the new plans.

Laito smiled to himself alone. Some people just couldn't be honest with themselves.

* * *

A/N: They're going on a date! Are you excited? Because I sure am =D (Sorry, I'm really sleepy so I'll proofread and upload the next chapter later...)

I'm open to guest reviews, by the way. Feel free to critique my work if you have the time.


	15. Waver

They had somehow ended up on the bed. Yuuki glared up at Ayato's conceited little face, trapped underneath him.

_When did this happen?_ She asked herself.

"Get off."

"That's not the way you should be addressing me, is it?" Ayato said smugly, while leaning in closer. Yuuki panicked.

"Okay, okay! Get off, _please_."

"Idiot," he whispered next to her ear, "it's _Please, Ayato-sama._.. How many times do I have to say it, pancake? _You are at my mercy._"

Yuuki whimpered when he nibbled her ear, blushing at the memory of their first kiss.

_God dammit, Yuuki. Hold it together, girl!_

"Haha, acting all tough." Ayato teased, noticing her stiff upper lip. He was enjoying her suffer. She tried squirming out from his iron grip but he only tightened it.

"Ow!" Yuuki gasped. "Ayato, you're hurting me."

"This is nothing compared to what I can do."

"I'm aware of that, knucklehead. OW! Stop it."

Ayato ignored her and continued, "Besides, you can handle _this_ much."

No, she could not_ handle it_. Not when he was straddling her.

"I'm still weaker than you. And no, I'm not ashamed to admit it. Didn't anyone teach you to treat girls gently?"

"Mm, not my style," Ayato purred.

In the ensuing struggle, Yuuki found some clearance and managed to knee him straight in the fork of his legs.

"Weak, pancake." Ayato snarled after dealing with the initial jab of pain. He pinned her down again. "You're weak. And that was low."

"Look who's being low." Yuuki taunted, pleased that she could actively do so. She had risen to more equal footing over the course of her stay. Being a vampire had its perks.

"Oh, but you're enjoying this, aren't you? You little masochist."

"Shut up."

"Don't tell me what to do, pancake. You're still playing_ my _game."

She clamped her hand over his mouth to keep him from doing anything funny. "What if I'm the one making the rules?"

He licked her hand sensually, making her retreat the violated barrier in shock.

"You're so gross, Ayato!" Yuuki yelped, wiping her palm furiously on the front of his shirt.

Ayato smirked. This is what he loved about her. She was fearless - even at an obvious disadvantage.

"Shamelessly groping people again, are we? How about-" Ayato traced the area over her collarbone with the tip of his nose.

Yuuki shivered. Despite being as cold as Ayato, his touch still made her feel tingly.

_Seriously, me. Stop getting excited over nothing._

"-I bite right here?"

"… Sure, why not?"

"Eh?"

"You must be thirsty. Go ahead."

Ayato paused, then frowned slightly. Yuuki figured that he was just toying with her.

"Ugh, never mind," the male mumbled. "This is no fun if you're going to be boring about it."

"Um... I guess I'm interrupting something."

The two stared at Kanato, who had just walked in to see the youngest triplet on top of Yuuki, with Ayato's face still hovering a few inches from hers. The silence was embarrassing. Yuuki, however, found herself somewhat grateful for the interruption.

_You've perfected the art of cock-blocking. Proud of you, buddy._

"I should probably come back later," the intruder offered as he turned around.

"No, don't worry about it. Ayato was just leaving." Yuuki nudged him on the arm, "Right, Ayato?"

The red-head was really frowning this time.

"What she said." Ayato grumbled while shuffling off of her. Yuuki adjusted her skirt, which had hiked up dangerously, before lifting herself into a sitting position.

"Did you need anything?" She asked after Ayato left the room. He held up Teddy's still-severed head and body

"I give up." Kanato said. "This sewing thing's impossible. You do it."

"But I don't kno-"

"It was your idea for me to learn to do it myself."

"Alright, fine." Fashion design was out of the picture, then. "I'll give it a go."

Yuuki and Kanato settled down on their respective seats. She had quickly gotten the hang of the practice once Kanato explained the basics. He had mastered the theory, just not the real life application.

Apparently her quick study made him feel jealous.

"If you hurt Teddy, I'll kill you." Kanato pouted as he munched on a slice of cake. He had decided to eat something while watching her perform "surgery".

"That's a bad taste in humor. It's not a nice thing to say even if your joking." Yuuki chided. She always considered herself a clutz, but somehow her clumsy hands were steadily sewing the doll back together again. "Besides, I'll be very gentle - Teddy won't even feel a thing."

"That's a bad taste in humor, Yuu-chan." Teddy, of course, could literally not feel a thing.

Yuuki laughed, "Touché. That's a good one, Kanato. Well, I'll take care of this little fella. I know how much he means to you. Ow... Urgh, that's the fourth time." She had pricked her finger on the needle.

"But look!" Yuuki announced, quickly reviving her spirit, "Teddy's all fixed now. Isn't that much better?"

She caressed the toy lovingly, and Kanato marveled at the calming feeling that surrounded her. He dropped his fork and almost started to smile, before pressing his lips into a thin line.

"Good. Now give him back." His purple bangs covered his eyes.

"Here you go," Yuuki chirped cheerily. Kanato unexpectedly grabbed her wrist instead of the bear.

"Oh! What are you doing?" the girl exclaimed.

"You're blood. I've never tried it before."

Yuuki winced when he licked her stinging finger.

"Wow, it's sweeter than the cake."

"Kanato, let go please." She gently tugged her arm, but his fingers tightened around her thin wrist.

"No. This is payment."

"Payment for what?"

"For making me have to waste my energy." It was a very Shu-like excuse.

"What do you mean?!" Yuuki asked, startled at the chilling quality in his voice.

"I've spent so many of my precious hours with _you_. It was downright sickening. I'm glad Teddy's back, so I don't need you anymore."

"What are you saying?

"You're so annoying, and now you're being all friendly to my Teddy. Don't be so disgusting."

Yuuki gawked at him silently. _Was he making a fool out of me... all this time?_

He snorted at her expression. "Oh, you're so silly! Did you really think that I would be friends with _you_? Don't make me laugh."

Yuuki frowned, shutting her gaping mouth. She twisted her wrist around and squeezed his hand. Firmly at first. The slight pressure made him stop cackling.

"No, Kanato..." she started quietly. "You weren't faking it. That wasn't pretending. I know how proud you were to show me the things that you made. Those feelings were real."

Kanato shook his head slowly, as if he was trying to deny it. The crazed smile from his face faded.

"I'm only saying this because I care about you, Kanato - if Teddy's the one making you think negatively about all this time we've spent together, I don't think he's being a good friend."

"You filthy _human_." Kanato whispered, repeating the insult he used back when she first attempted to befriend him and Teddy. "You don't know anything about me... Don't pretend like you understand me..." His eyes, however, teared up.

"_I'm not human anymore_, Kanato." Yuuki replied softly, equally somber. It was a truth that neither of them were fully able to bear. The boy visibly crumbled before her eyes.

Kanato clutched the stuffed toy as sobs wracked his fragile-looking body. She kept squeezing his hand, as if giving him a rope to hold onto.

He had made a goal - he wanted Teddy to be fixed. Once he had reached it, he had no idea what to do anymore. Did he love Teddy? Did he hate Teddy? And how did his answers relate to what he felt about his mother? They were questions that he couldn't face alone. If he pretended that Yuuki's friendship didn't matter to him... maybe, just maybe, he could have returned to his old self. But things have changed. And changes were scary.

Yuuki pat him affectionately. "You don't have to come up with an answer right away. Take your time and it will make itself apparent to you. And I'll be right here if you ever need me."

"Yuu-chan..." Kanato whimpered.

"Shh... I know, Kanato, I know."

Her world was not the only one that had been flipped upside down. She cursed her own blood.

_Cordelia, how dare you mess with all these lives? _She snarled internally, before calming herself down. Cordelia was gone. Now it was up to her to fix everything. _It's okay... I'll be the one to put the broken pieces together. I owe it to everyone_.

* * *

A/N: Wanted to establish Yuuki's "purpose in life" in order to propel the story forward past AyatoxYuuki lovey-dovey arc. Be patient, my children. Good things are still ahead.

Also, I wrote this chapter a day or two ago and I thought I had already uploaded it. Woops. Sorry for the delay.


	16. You'll Be the Death of Me

"Hey, pancake! I want to show you something cool."

Yuuki shuffled cautiously away from him. Knowing Ayato, he wouldn't be willing to forgive the interruption of their little session so easily.

"What's with those impudent eyes?" Ayato asked, before grabbing her wrist. "Come on!"

_Eh, he's not angry?_ She thought as he dragged her to their destination.

"How's that?" the male exclaimed happily. "A genuine iron maiden complete with spikes inside – as per your interests!" He tried to push her into the torture device. "Now get in."

"GYAAA!"

Yuuki toppled back against him and fell to the side. She heaved in momentary relief.

"Don't worry. It'll just be a little prick"

"There's no way it'll be like that!" Yuuki cried. Ayato half-ignored the girl sitting on the floor.

_I was an idiot to think that this guy would be willing to let it slide._

"I've even prepared a bunch of things for you. Like swords, and bamboo skewers, and a crown of thorns, and a ton of other things. The bamboo skewer makes small cuts but they're super painful!"

"ARE YOU TRYING TO KILL ME?!"

"Wha~t? I'll just lick the injuries afterward."

"You're just trying to drink my blood again, aren't you!?"

"Well, duh." He pulled her up until she was pressed against his chest. "But even if you say you hate it, you actually like the pain."

"I never said that." Yuuki stated unhappily as he licked her neck. She had been pushed up against the wall, once again trapped.

"You're blushing."

"This and that have nothing to do with this," the girl stuttered. She looked down in order to hide the shame of being unable to find the right words.

Ayato laughed and tilted her chin upwards. "I'm going to suck until that attitude burns out of your eyes. Knowing you - you'd probably die before that happens, though."

Yuuki paused before pulling her hair to one side.

"Again, are you trying to kill me?" she asked, quietly this time.

"Oh, what's this? You're being obedient." His arm wrapped around the small of her back. "Finally resigned yourself, huh?"

"If you want it so badly, fine. I don't care," Yuuki said with a small, pseudo-understanding smile.

"Oi. Did you eat something bad?" Ayato frowned. "You're saying stupid things again – I can't understand your thought process." He seriously wondered if she even thought at all. It wouldn't surprise him if the doctors discovered that she didn't have a functioning brain. He didn't cross out the possibility, since their hearts were on eternal pause anyway.

"What's wrong? You want to drink, don't you? Go ahead."

The male sighed before letting go of her shoulders.

"Nah, I'm good. Sorta lost the urge."

* * *

The next day, she employed the same pattern.

"Good morning," Yuuki greeted enthusiastically. "Are you feeling thirsty?"

"Don't need it." Ayato replied, uninterested.

_Success! Pretending to be obedient was such a great strategy._ She was thoroughly proud of herself. _Wish I had come up with this before, back when it was actually useful._

However, Yuuki's amusement faded over time.

_Is he doing okay? It's been a few days now – he must be hungry right? _She thought to herself, feeling somewhat concerned. _He hasn't been... sucking someone else off has he? UGH, what am I thinking?! It doesn't matter to me anyway... But, to say the least, it'll be troublesome if he collapsed or something._

"Are you okay?"

"Seriously - stop being so persistent. Damn, you're annoying. Keep it up and I'll kill you." Ayato growled. He knew that she hated the particular threat.

"But-"

"Do you want me to that badly?"

"Well, it's not like... it's wrong or anything."

The response made him grin wickedly.

"Heh, you finally admit it, you little masochist." Ayato smirked as he sauntered over to her spot and reached out.

Yuuki suddenly found themselves in her bedroom. She didn't have time to register that they had teleported before he threw her on top of the mattress.

_Eh? _

"Tch, to think you could try to hold me back for so many days..." Ayato teased before joining her.

_I-_

"I'm not going to let you sleep tonight."

_I've been had!_

"NOOOO!" Yuuki squealed as he ripped off one of her front buttons.

"Yeah, yeah. You love this, right?

"I DON'T." She covered her slightly exposed cleavage.

"Still saying that? Stop resisting – this is your purpose in life." Ayato purred in a low voice.

"It – ow – is not!" Yuuki protested as he pierced her neck.

He licked the blood staining the side of his mouth. "You've forgotten," he commented. "Looks like I need to remind you again."

Yuuki struggled underneath and forcefully pushed him up off of her body.

"Wait, wait! Not like this!"

"Hm?" he grunted as they got up.

"I don't want it like this! It has to be gentle."

Ayato paused before suddenly kissing her, somewhat roughly. She flinched when his fangs snipped her bottom lip.

"?!"

"Hmm, I always thought it was the sweetest here anyway..." the red-head remarked.

"Ayato, I-" She choked on her words. Her face was pure crimson.

"Mm? What was that, pancake?"

"I'm going to kill you."

"Hahaha - don't be such an airhead." Ayato laughed. He bent his knees so she could sit comfortably between his legs.

"Shut up." Yuuki shifted her weight forward, so that she was the one on top.

"And what are you so worried about anyway?" Ayato continued, unconcerned. "You're a vampire now, so - mmfgh?!"

Yuuki broke the contact. "Didn't I tell you to shut up?" she asked breathlessly before kissing him again, this time with her eyes closed.

Ayato smiled against her lips.

This was the only one. The only person in the world who he'd be willing to obey. He wanted to fulfill her every command and desire. He was at her beck and call.

Thank God – if there really was one – that she didn't know... Ayato liked to pretend that he was the one in control.

* * *

A/N: Never have I ever thought that I would write about an unmarried couple making out... True story. Please don't do this kids =3 But kids shouldn't be reading M stories in the first place, soo~

ANYWAY, as you can see - a lot of content borrowed from the DL Anthrology series. I stuck some of Subaru's stuff and adapted it to Ayato instead. Those two are so easy to interchange, which I think I've said before. The anticipated "first date chapter" will be next. Sorry for these long delays - I've suddenly landed over five huge projects and have got a lot on my plate right now.

I like how Ayato is willing to put aside his ego for her, although he would never admit it. It's sweet. Yuuki has the ultra-feminine power to soften those around her.


	17. Cherish

Ayato leaned on the front door, waiting for Yuuki. They were supposed to be out shopping already – but she was still in her room. And for some reason, that silly, purple-haired freak was with her too. Was Ayato jealous? Hell yeah.

"Sorry for the wait!" Yuuki called happily and Ayato turned to face her with a scowl.

"What took you so long, panca-"

Yuuki giggled and twirled around for him. "Do you like it?"

Ayato checked her out – twice.

"What are you all dressed up for?" It seemed to be his go-to response whenever she was wearing something remotely cuter than usual.

She self-consciously tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"For you, of course. Kanato-kun helped me. Besides, why are _you_ in your uniform?"

"Don't see a problem. Come on, let's go."

Yuuki pouted. _Am I the only one who thinks of this as a date?_ The thought annoyed her, so she attached herself to his arm. Ayato didn't seem to dislike it, so they remained that way until they had reached the shopping district.

"What do you have to replace?"

"A lot," she lied. The things that had been destroyed along with the vanity were her few makeup palettes (which she never really used until Kanato started playing with her), while her hairbrush and accessories had survived. But she wanted to extend the day of freedom for as long as possible.

"Is that a problem?" Yuuki asked. It was a challenge.

"I can survive a few stores," Ayato said.

_Oh, my dearest Ayato. I don't mean a few stores. I meant all of them._

And she meant to enjoy them fully.

So they browsed shop after shop together, and Yuuki would pick up the various things that she liked. When she went the cashier, Ayato stopped her. At first Yuuki protested, saying that her father left her _some_ money to use, but Ayato simply stated that it was his fault that her things needed to be replaced. Stunned by his unheralded chivalry, Yuuki was unable to continue arguing and he ended up paying anyway.

As the adopted daughter of the priest, it was a rare opportunity to enjoy herself to the max with secular city pastimes. She somehow convinced Ayato to join her in an arcade game, then take pictures at a photo booth, and eat things they had never tried before. The experience was a first time for both of them. It was fun.

Everything that had to do with Yuuki amused him. Ayato had never felt this way about another person before. He enjoyed teasing her, holding her close, learning about the things she liked and disliked. But eventually, he got sick of entering girly, perfumed stores and the stupid crowds, so they decided that they wanted a change of scene before heading home.

Ayato waited on a park bench as Yuuki went to go buy soft cream. He was reluctant to let go of her, but she insisted to let her treat him for once and promised not to run away.

"What good would that do anyway?" Yuuki had reasoned. Ayato remained silent since he didn't want to admit that he just wanted her by his side.

He glanced at her shopping bags, which were inoffensively sitting beside him. She hadn't bought as much as he had expected. Maybe it was because she was embarrassed that he was paying, but she insisted that she had properly replaced everything from her vanity. Ayato didn't tell her that the reason that he had accepted Reiji's punishment and had obediently lugged the damned thing all the way up was because he didn't want her to face the consequences. He had protected her from being landed with any of Reiji's anger, and even argued with the tableware otaku for her sake. Ayato would take full responsibility so that his Yuuki would be left alone. He leaned back to stare at the clouds until he heard her skipping back to him, a cone in either hand.

"Would you like the vanilla, or the chocolate? Or would you like me?" She teased. He was being uncharacteristically good today, so she had dropped her guard.

"Who would want a tit-less girl like you? Chocolate."

Yuuki pouted. "Maybe Mr. Chocolate here should teach you the true meaning of brain freeze," she threatened.

"Hey, hey! Watch the hair."

Yuuki handed him the cone and plopped down next to him. He grew fascinated with watching her eat.

"It's going to melt," she pointed out, finally noticing him staring.

"Just felt like trying the vanilla," he mumbled as he licked his own cone hurriedly, embarrassed that he got caught.

"Sure. If you share some of yours."

"Really?"

"Go ahead." Yuuki nodded. Ayato unexpectedly kissed the side of her mouth.

"Eh?"

"There was some cream stuck on your face," he stated blandly before taking a large bite of her cone.

"You could have just told me." Yuuki wiped her mouth with the back of her wrist. She frowned at her almost-finished cone. He was merciless.

The two finished eating in relative silence until a group of three little boys passed by.

"Oooh, look! A couple!" they laughed. One of them blew a raspberry.

Ayato tossed a crumpled napkin at the group and they ran away in a fit of giggles. Yuuki was blushing.

"You didn't have to chase them away, you know. They're just having fun." The boys had reminded her of the triplets when they were little.

"They were annoying." Ayato placed an arm around her, his elbow resting on the park bench.

"I thought they were cute."

He smirked. "Hmm. You like kids?"

Normally, he'd be jealous if she paid attention to anything but him. _He must be in a good mood, I guess._

"Yeah," Yuuki replied. "There used to be a group of orphans at the church. I used to play with them a lot." She smiled at the memory. "You don't?"

"I'd like your kids."

"Huh?"

"Because they'd be mine."

Yuuki flushed. "Idiot. As if I'd let _you_ father my children."

Ayato stiffened slightly. "What, you don't want any?"

"Of course I want them _eventually_. But I don't know if you could be a good parent."

The reply angered him. "Is that so, pancake?" he sneered.

Yuuki looked up at him, somewhat alarmed. She hadn't thought that he'd take her teasing seriously. She kissed the side of his chin in order to soothe him.

"I was just kidding..." Yuuki whispered. "Don't be mad."

Ayato snorted and they returned to being silent. It felt uncomfortable.

"But honestly," she ventured cautiously, trying to avoid setting him off again. "Would you be nice to them... or would you neglect them like Karlheinz?"

"I'm not my father, Yuuki. I take care of what's mine."

"Then I'll believe you," she smiled. "It might be a stupid decision, but I'll give you that much trust, at least."

Ayato relaxed and pinched her cheek fondly. His affection hurt, but Yuuki was not irritated.

"Being an airhead is what you do best, anyway."

Her lips were still cold from the ice cream.

* * *

A/N: Hope I made your inner fan-girl squeal inside. Apparently these innocent fluff chapters are somewhat readable *awkward cough* At least that's what a few people around here have told me. (Their probably faking it, though – I can see how bad my work is, but I thank them for making the effort to be nice, lol)

And apparently, Yuuki's having his children. Eventually. After marriage. Yeah...


	18. Puppy Love

Plop.

"Did you feel that?" Yuuki asked, breaking away first.

"Feel what?" Ayato responded, slightly breathless.

Plip-plop.

"That." Yuuki blinked twice when they noticed a cold wetness glistening on her hand. "Oh gosh, it's raining."

Yuuki and Ayato grabbed their things off the bench and scrambled for shelter before the light drizzle could soak them.

The closest place they could find was one of the pavilions. Everyone else had already gone home – they were the only ones who hadn't taken heed of the clouds darkening above. Neither would admit that it was because they were preoccupied with each other. So they awkwardly avoided talking as they waited underneath the shaded area.

"I hate the rain..." Yuuki complained, wiping off some of the water that had landed on her hair and shoulders with a handkerchief before moving on to help him.

_There goes my hair. Sorry, Kanato. I know you worked hard on it._

"This is why we should have taken the car." Ayato teased.

"You know that's a terrible idea! Imagine how much unwanted attention we'd get driving around in a limo."

"Heh, I don't mind." He might have been referring to the fact that she was, as he would put, molesting him with a handkerchief.

"Of course_ you_ don't mind. Since your a show-off."

"Since when?"

"Since we met," Yuuki responded matter-of-factly. "Actually, way before that."

"Hmm..." He smirked. "And how would you know that?"

Her hand stopped moving abruptly on top of his shoulder. She couldn't tell him about her visions of the past. It would bring up Cordelia, which was a subject they both wanted to avoid if possible.

He noted her pause but decided to make light of it. "...Missed a spot. Also, your hair-"

"I know that!" Yuuki roared, drying him off frantically. "There!"

Ayato chuckled when the wet cloth fell on top of his face. "Is that why you hate rain?"

"Shut up, Ayato. Don't look!" Her face turned red as she tried blocking her frizzy hair from his sight.

"Your hands are too small – lemme do it."

"What do you mean?" Yuuki pouted.

Ayato drew her close by her elbow and pushed her smaller hands aside. He gathered the strands together, twisted them into a bun, and covered the top of her head with both his hands spread out widely.

"What good does it do if you're the one covering it, huh? Stupid Ayato."

"Who's the stupid one here? You're the one asking dumb questions." The second sentence was whispered.

"It's not a dumb question..." she mumbled, realizing that their proximity was infinitely closer.

_This was his goal all along, dammit._

"I can hear you~" Ayato sing-songed.

"Huh?"

"You're thinking that I'm a pervert, aren't you?"

_THESE STUPID MIND-READING ABILITIES, I SWEAR! _Yuuki thought, completely taken aback.

"How the hell do you know that?!"

He shrugged. "It's written on your face."

"Oh..." The sound of rain filled their silence. "Hey, there are stores all around us. Why don't we just go buy an umbrella?"

"I can wait it out."

_My, my - Ayato's being patient? That's a miracle._

Yuuki pried her head away from underneath his palms. "I'll go buy it anyway. Wait for me, okay?" He didn't have time to protest before she dashed off.

* * *

When she returned, Ayato was nowhere to be found.

"Ayato~! Ayato, where are you?" Yuuki called out.

_Did he leave the park without me?_ She thought, turning around to search for him. _Or maybe he teleported and abandoned me here. And I told him not to use his powers in public, but no~..._

"Oh, there you are!" Yuuki exclaimed, noticing him crouching over a soggy, cardboard box. "What were you doing here."

"Look what I found, pancake." Ayato said, reaching into the box and taking something out of it before turning towards her. The "something" squirmed in his hands and barked rapidly.

"Meet your long lost brother, Pochi."

"Aww! A puppy!" She handed him the umbrella to take the dog, who was gnawing on his sleeve. The animal seemed to be more willing to transfer over to her arms – anything to get out of Ayato's grip.

"You're both soaked," she noted, petting the pup soothingly. It calmed down and stopped barking. "Look, it's shivering, poor thing. Can we keep it?"

He picked up her shopping bags, which were neglectfully left on the sidewalk. At least they were underneath a shaded area. He had taken that ounce of extra care to make sure her merchandise was not completely ruined, so she decided to not cause a fuss.

"I dunno. You should ask Reiji."

"Okay! Let's go home at once," she demanded before remembering that Ayato easily became jealous of anything that captured her heart. She should know - he glared at whatever she swooned over when they were shopping, although he seemed to forgive the guilty objects because she was having fun with _him_. "Or else all three of us will catch a cold," Yuuki added hastily.

"Dummy~" Ayato pinched her cheek. "Have you ever heard of a vampire catching a cold?"

Yuuki preferred snuggling the puppy close than responding. She was in a good mood again.

_Maybe the rain's not all that bad. _How often would she get the chance to walk with Ayato underneath an umbrella anyway? Yup, she'd prefer silently savoring the experience.

"What breed do you think it is?" Yuuki asked a few minutes later, when they had reached the gates of the mansion.

"Figure it out yourself."

"Haha, alright."

"Probably an unwanted mutt, though," Ayato jested. Yuuki obviously _wanted_ to keep it as a pet.

* * *

A series of woofs awoke Shu.

"Edgar?" he mumbled in disbelief, standing up and following the sound. There was no way it was the black dog that his friend had once given him.

He heard Yuuki's voice pleading, "Please, Reiji, please?"

"No. Something like this will not be allowed to freely wreak havoc upon the household."

"I promise to take care of it. We'll train it properly. Right, Ayato?"

"Hey, don't drag me into this – I just found the thing."

"It's not a_ thing_. It's-"

The conversation was interrupted by Shu. "What's going on?"

Reiji sighed and massaged his temples. "How many headaches do I have to deal with at once?"

_Time for phase two of persuading the grown ups, I guess. Change the target!_

"I want to keep him!" Yuuki nearly cried. She held up the confused pup. "Shu - you're the head of the family. Tell Reiji that I can keep him!"

"Puppy eyes, again..." Ayato grumbled quietly, rolling his own.

Apparently they were actually potent, because the next few words that rolled off of Shu's tongue shocked all the vampires in congregation. Yuuki's surprise was to a far lesser extent since she shared the memory between Reiji, Shu, and Beatrix. Which is why she had appealed to Shu's sympathy in particular in the first place.

"Let her keep it, Reiji."

"Huh?!" Ayato yelped. When had Shu stood up for or cared about anything?

Shu just stared blankly at three before turning around and yawning. He walked off without another word, presumably to return to his nap.

"Trying to increase my workload, as always... What a hassle." Reiji adjusted his glasses. "The things I do sometimes for sanity's sake..." he added, before also exiting the room.

Yuuki and Ayato glanced at each other in momentary puzzlement.

"Soo... I can keep him?"

"... I guess so."

"Yippee!" Yuuki squealed and kissed Ayato on the cheek out of joy. "Alright, let's go get dried up. You're dripping all over the carpet."

"So are you, pancake."

She giggled. This was officially the best day ever. Minus her ruined hair.

* * *

A/N: Woops, haha. I forgot to upload Pochi's debut chapter. This is the true Chapter 18. "Irritation" was supposed to be Chapter 19.


	19. Irritation

Yuuki had to itch. But Kanato told her to not move. Her dilemma was simple: should she do it and risk a frustrated vampire biting her head off, or should she remain patient and keep her as-still-as-a-statue pose? And, gosh, was it hard to resist the urge to screw it all to hell and scratch that little irritation of a spot.

"Kanato," Yuuki squeaked. "How long will it take?"

"Don't talk right now. I'm painting the face."

Sure enough, he scrutinized her visage with calculating eyes, sighed, and mixed in some old-ish looking paste to achieve the "perfect color", or whatever he was mumbling about. She was tired of sitting. She was tired of the smell of paint. She was tired of the aching desire to peek over Kanato's shoulder and see what he was doing. And, most of all, she was tired of the stupid itch.

Kanato looked up at her, seemingly amused. "You hate this, don't you?"

"Well, yeah, I wasn't exactly born to be a mannequin. And no – we are not going to discuss that room of brides, please. I could do without that memory if possible."

"Yuu-chan's expressions are so funny. That look of absolute horror and disgust you make sometimes-" Kanato paused to cackle, "_That _is one I won't forget."

Yuuki's frown deepened before she was once again scolded by Kanato. Did she want her 2D resemblance to look absolutely miserable, or would she smile properly for once? She decided that "properly" seemed far too Reiji-like to be coming out of the mouth of a former maniac. Regardless of her answer, Yuuki decided that she hated not having control over her own body (since he held the authority over her as her portrait artist).

"Oi, pancake," Ayato called out as he walked into her room. He had reverted to his old habit of entering without knocking. At least he had stopped appearing out of nowhere, since she'd nearly rip out his beautiful hair every time he did. Yuuki was possibly getting a tad too familiar for his comfort.

__Save me, Ayato! __Her eyes silently responded. Ayato growled at Kanato, who peeked over his canvas to glare back.

Yuuki could almost see the signals they were sending back and forth for a second. How dare Ayato interrupt while he was in the middle of something? How dare Kanato still be playing with his things? "His things" as in herself. It was like a tug of war on the side of a cliff.

"Did you need anything, Ayato?" Yuuki asked, trying to escape the current situation.

"Get ready."

"For what?"

"Reiji said you have to go to school."

"... Alright. Kanato, I think that's enough for today."

Kanato sighed, grumbled something like he was almost done, and started packing his things.

"Oh, wait! Can I see what you painted so far?"

"No!" was the immediate response. "No, not yet, Yuu-chan," he repeated once more in a softer tone. "Not until it's done."

"Okay. Sorry for being such a terrible model."

Yuuki waited until Kanato was out of sight before whipping out of her position and trying to __get that damned itch__. She twisted her hands behind her back and, to her utter dismay, found that she could not reach it.

"Ayato," she cried. "Help me, please. It's killing me."

The remaining vampire blinked twice in puzzlement before smirking. He walked up behind her and poked the area she was trying to scratch.

"Here?"

"Yes," Yuuki gasped.

Ayato gauged her reaction. His smile widened. "Maybe I should leave it alone."

"What? Because you want to see - Cause of Death: Fatal Itch - on my tombstone?"

"Yes."

__Downright evil. __She thought, growing frustrated although she was still terribly desperate.

"Ayato~"

Puppy eyes. These damned puppy eyes. He hesitated, and Yuuki cooed in relief when he finally started rubbing with his nails, albeit slower and softer than she expected. She would have scratched the cloth off her back. Eventually, the itch disappeared but she didn't stop him. It felt nice - even if she didn't want to admit it.

Ayato was glad that she was facing away from him. He grew embarrassed at his own actions towards Yuuki. Although he could easily blame the prolonged contact on the fact that she didn't indicate that it's-alright-now, he felt guilty. It seemed like it wasn't enough without physical contact. The thought unnerved him, so he stopped and pat her on her shoulder bone.

"Hmm?" She opened her eyes to look back at him behind a curtain of blonde lashes.

"Get ready." He said before disappearing.

* * *

A/N: Sorry for another short chapter. Thought I would get this up hours ago but my computer crashed. And I have a deadline in a few hours. And I have a plane trip in a few more hours. And I need sleep. Grr.

So basically, this chapter symbolizes my frustration... Just kidding. I just need to transition back to Yuuki's re-attendance to school as well as include some foreshadowing. I like how all my chapter titles sounded like they came straight out of some sappy album or something until this one, lol. This was quite literal (although "Not Her Cup of Tea" from "Revised" was quite a funny pun, if I must say so for myself) as a reference to the itch that's simply a _plague_ to Yuuki's mentality (until Ayato solves the problem of course). I must say that I've switched over to Team Ayato again. Hoorah! I guess.


	20. Rumor Mill

There were whispers all around school.

Rumors...

Nasty ones.

That Yuuki and Ayato were lovers. As in _lovers._

She spotted a group of girls glaring silently at her in the library and harr-upmhed.

_This is all Ayato's fault._ Yuuki thought to herself, annoyed. Ayato had been spending every possible moment with her, even going so far as to remove the classmate sitting next to her in order to take the poor sod's place. None of the teachers spoke out, since the Sakamaki family was not one to mess with.

The rumors that his various actions sparked, however, were completely unheard of. They called her disgusting things that she dared not repeat. Wasn't she ashamed, as the daughter of a religious man?

_Well, it's not like I could deny all of it..._ She sighed internally as she picked her books up and left one of the sole places where she found peace and quiet. _Maybe I should stake out Shu in the music room. He won't mind if I join him for an afternoon nap, right?_

Yuuki hadn't expected school to become a hostile place to be. Not since she had come to see the nicer side of the brothers she was staying with.

Her classmates had initially seen her with mild curiosity. There were two kind of people attending the night school - the affluent students, whose well-to-do families could afford such extravagant facilities, and the supernatural creatures hidden among them. Neither were what one would call ordinary. Yuuki, on the other hand, was anything but extraordinary.

_Who was this low-class, human girl suddenly attending school with the Sakamaki family? Oh, she must be their new toy. _The latter group must have thought. Yuuki seemed like a friendly girl, therefore a harmless girl. She was of nobody's concern.

Then she disappeared for God knows how long. No one dared question it, since one does not meddle in the affairs of another unless they have due business with each other. If an entire influential, supernatural family clashed with another, who knows how much disaster would fall upon the world? This was a tricky game of politics everyone played here in this institution that brought them together. One of false courtesy, polished smiles, and raw instinct. Those who could afford to be offensive were the ones who held power. Or were just plain stupid, asking to be hurt.

Without any warning, Yuuki had returned to the public eye. The rest of society sensed something different in her. They could see that she was within the Sakamaki brothers' favor. At first they were awed. Then the awe transformed into jealousy.

_How dare this low-life associate with us? What right does she have to mingle freely with those that we spend every moment trying to gain approval from?_

… So that was what had happened. Looks like she would have to deal with another hell, albeit in a different environment. These were uncharted waters that she was exploring. The problem turned out to be her own inexperience and lack of social grace. In a sense, this dark shadow – this secret world of the supernaturals - was quite similar to humankind. Both could be as equally nasty. The one advantage, or possibly a disadvantage, was that this side didn't fear for their mortality... It was far too heavy a thought.

Out in one of the grand and overly fancy hallways, Yuuki felt her vision waver. A pair of arms steadied her as she nearly stumbled.

"Whoa... Oops." She looked up to see the owner of the arms. "Oh, Reiji. Thank you. Nearly fell, ha-ha."

"How unsightly. You should be aware of your own position," he responded with a grim face.

"Sorry – just felt a little woozy... Maybe it's the stress?" She was sick of the dirty looks in any case. "Would it be okay if I stay home and never come out?"

Yuuki was only joking. She knew she couldn't expect such an easy escape.

"Hmm. This again? That's not something you would of said when you first arrived at our house."

"Haha, that's for sure. Things have changed."

"Yes, they have." He looked down at her through his glasses darkly. "You cannot afford to make mistakes anymore."

"Meaning?"

"... You have a certain status that you must rise up to." Reiji responded after a long pause. "Don't you dare fail and bring shame upon our name... I will not accept it."

He disappeared promptly, leaving her in a state of bewilderment.

* * *

A/N: The anime portrayed Yui's experiences as pretty self-contained within her interactions with the Sakamaki family. I wanted to step out of that and show how your situation at home may very easily affect your standing in society through absolutely nonsensical, metaphysical ramblings. Reputation is a big deal in any case. Hope you enjoy this transition chapter. I'll give you a heads up though: things will get nasty _very quickly_.


	21. Stilettos Stands For Sinister

Yuuki continued pondering over Reiji's words of caution, tuning out the looks she received from various students that she encountered. Besides, what "status" did she, an orphan, have in the first place? She was the prospective bride, sure, but what else was there? Nope. There was nothing. Nothing she could say for herself and bring forward. No wonder it was so easy to bully her_…_

_And why would MY clumsiness make Reiji embarassed? Wait... he said "our name," didn't he? Why was he including me? Oh, I'm so dumb – of course he just means the boys. That's all. It's not like he meant that -_

Yuuki stopped in her tracks.

_He couldn't have possibly…__ Was Reiji saying that I'm under trial and need to prove myself... in order to be with Ayato? Uh, nu-uh. There's no way that Reiji would accept me as a family member. Haha, yea. I'm not up to his level or something. _She shook the disconcerting thought off her head and shrugged. Yuuki continued walking and inhaled deeply to calm her wild thoughts._ Oh well, whatever. Who needs Reiji's approval anyway?_

She took a detour to the washroom on the way, firmly deciding not to look for Ayato since it would only fuel the flames.

_Ugh._ Yuuki looked up at the mirror and examined herself carefully. Her reflection seemed somewhat haggard._ I guess I need some fresh blood. I've been avoiding it for too long._

A collective laughter and a series of high-heeled clicks interrupted her thoughts, as a group of girls entered the restroom.

"I know~" one was saying in a shrill, plastic voice. "She's so-"

They stopped in their tracks once they noticed her standing in front of one of the sinks. The petite blonde immediately sensed that at least two of them were non-human.

"Eww, it's just you," the girl continued, giving her a once-over before flicking her bright red hair over her shoulder. Yuuki immediately disliked her, her stupid blonde-tipped locks, the fact that she had an amazing body, and the way she chewed her gum obnoxiously.

"Excuse me," Yuuki mumbled, before attempting to exit the room. The other three blocked her path.

"Whoa, whoa, shorty..." _Obnoxious chewing._ "Where the hell are you going?"

_Looks like this one's the gang leader._

Yuuki summed them up. There were two henchmen – pretty, but nothing special. The other two, however, immediately stood out to her. One was the what-fashionistas-would-call-edgy chick, the other was everything she expected a vampire to look like – gothic, gorgeous, and sinister.

The four girls surrounded Yuuki and pinned her against the wall. This was not going to end well.

"What did'ja say? I couldn't hear you," she breathed into Yuuki's face, who turned away and gagged.

"Oh gross. No wonder you need that gum – your breath stinks." She'd figured that there was no need to be polite to someone who's obviously trying to pick a fight.

_Stupid, Yuuki, stupid._ Her logical side scolded. Dissing the chick was a sure-fire way to NOT avoid confrontation._  
_

Red-headed-jumbo-tits smirked. "This one's got nerve, don't you think?" RHJT asked her girls. "I sort of like it – makes it more fun." She reached out and stroked the side of Yuuki's face. Her fingers were sickeningly cold. "Haha, look! She's chilled to the bone. You frightened? Are you about to pee your pants? Come on, tell me..." RHJT's fingers wrapped around her neck. "Don't worry. I won't bite," she cooed.

* * *

"Ayato-sama?"

"What?" Ayato snapped at the poor classmate. Yuuki had run away from him (with the excuse of needing some alone time to study) and he would always be in a bad mood whenever she was out of his sight.

"Reiji-sama said that Komori-san's not feeling well. He wants you to check up on her."

Ayato stood up with a groan and pocketed his hands casually.

"Ugh, pancake. Making me do so much work," he mumbled aloud in order to conceal his concern.

There was no need to ask where to find her – he was a predator, Yuuki was his target.

* * *

A/N: I'm going to make it so y'all hate these new characters as much as I do. These last few chapters were the calm before the storm.

Girls can be downright brutal if you make them your enemy. I apologize if I destroyed your hopes of seeing the Mukami family or something. I don't know what they're like because I didn't play the games so I probably won't do them any justice. Therefore, I don't know if they'll ever appear in this story. Probably not.


	22. Malice

There had been some punches thrown, some clothes torn, and some curse words sworn.

"You're all weak. I can take you. One-on-one." Yuuki spat. They laughed at her bluff.

"Oh really? Lemme tell you something – we don't normally fight like this." RHJT started.

"Everyone knows our true specialty..." The girl on the left interjected.

"Mm. Females are masters of verbal abuse," Yuuki's main attacker continued. She paused to cackle. "But you're not worthy of such a sophisticated art."

It was Yuuki's turn to snort. "Sophisticated art, my ass. You still fight like little girls: pull the hair, poke the eyes."

"Good one! See, you're learning. But you've forgotten one of our finest tactics. Little girls also _bite_."

The gang reminded Yuuki of why she hated vampires in the first place. She tried to squirm out of the grip of the four girls, but they effectively kept her caged. Her weakened, anemic state was _not_ helping.

"Ooh, stay still, shorty." The leader dabbed at a scratch underneath her own eye with the back of an overdone, painted claw. The superficial gash was a product of Yuuki's resistance – an epic attack of tooth and nail. She looked at the mirror and frowned before turning back to Yuuki, who was far more beat up. "My skin will be flawless in a few moments anyway but I'm not going to forgive you. Don't you know it's a crime to mar a model's face?"

The blonde's bloodied lower-lip snarled to match the frown, except it possessed a far greater intensity of anger. The contrast of Yuuki's intense expression and her pitiful condition turned out to be the kind of entertainment that RHJT craved.

"Did you know that the more an insect caught in a web struggles, the more entangled they become?" She cupped Yuuki's chin. The smaller vampirette attempted to glare back, but her pupils were bleary and unfocused. "Speaking of which... Arachnae." RHJT gestured at the companion with the straight, long black hair and smokey eyes. "Amuse me."

Arachnae, who had mostly watched rather than participate in the torture, moved forward and started to push the edge of Yuuki's skirt upwards.

"LET GO OF ME!" Yuuki screamed, her fists held back by the other two girls. Everything was blurry - she felt so dizzy.

What else were they going to do? Rape – no – molest her? She was another_ girl_, for god's sake.

"YOU'RE ALL SO DISGUSTING!" Yuuki screeched with the draining reserves of her energy, in hopes that someone would come to the rescue. Unfortunately, this school was the one kind that nobody gave a damn about each other, unless it meant personal benefit.

"Oi, cockroach – be quiet." The one on the right warned with a hiss.

"What do you want from me?!" Yuuki continued protesting meekly as the henchmen tried muffling her. She was nearly in tears.

They ignored her question.

"She's a little too pretty to be a_ cockroach_." RHJT laughed with that distinctive plastic quality in her voice. "It pisses me off."

"How did something like you get in the good graces of the princes anyhow?" The girl on the left complained, yanking Yuuki's head back by a fistful of her hair. The action exposed the petite victim's neck.

"What-" Yuuki gasped in pain, "princes?"

_Seriously, guys. Now is not the time for jealous cat fights..._ Her subconscious reminded her of something about a nap with Shu. It was like her mind was lulling her to sleep – an escape from this reality. But Yuuki hated giving in.

"Yes, I wonder how it's possible." Arachnae agreed, baring her fangs. "She's just a disgusting _human_."

Bite. _Why'd you have to bite?_ Seeing black spots.

Arachnae pulled back in shock. "No... _vampire_?" she spluttered, her lips dyed red with the one thing that Yuuki could not afford to be losing more of at the moment.

_Vampire. Ayato._

"What?" RHJT exclaimed. She pushed Arachnae aside to sniff the nearly unconscious Yuuki.

_Ayato... I swear, I don't let just anyone drink my blood. Not on purpose. _A sob was stuck in her throat. _So please... Help._

"HEY! What the hell are you fuckers doing?!" His voice was her divine intervention.

The attackers turned to look at the entrance.

"Ayato-sama!"

He spotted Yuuki's body half standing, half leaning against the wall. "Get your hands off her..."

The girls hesitated.

"I'll murder all of you..." He sneered, stalking towards them. He inspired goosebumps and the singular emotion of fear. Yuuki grew almost as alarmed as the gang surrounding her. There were more things here to be broken than just her vanity.

"Wait, Ayato." She groaned, outstretching her left hand out towards him. He stopped. "Just get me out of here... Didn't I tell you to treat girls gently?"

Ayato's lips twitched with an almost imperceptible smirk, before he snarled once more and glared at each girl in turn. They looked horrified. All except the gothic one, who's face was schooled into a calm mask. Arachnae made a small gesture, touching three fingers to her own neck. The metal cuff on her thin wrist caught his eye.

He broke the petrifying hush with words coated in the voice of the Devil himself.

"... I'll be lenient this time. Now scram."

Ayato continued exerting a murderous aura until they were all out of sight.

Yuuki slid unto the floor in relief, thinking that her words had reasoned with him. She had missed the non-verbal exchange.

"Are you okay?" He asked as he approached Yuuki cautiously.

"Idiot. Do I look okay?" She was bleeding profusely. "... I'm sorry. They bit me."

"Let me see." Yuuki extended her neck, and Ayato crouched next to her. "Shit."

"What's wrong?"

"They poisoned you."

"Huh?"

"Vampire poison..."

"Eh? Has this happened before?"

"We've never done it to you, since it's nearly fatal to humans. Good thing you're not one anymore, or else you would have been dead by now."

"They tried to _kill _me?" The revelation was not incredibly surprising, although she hadn't really done anything to deserve _that_ much hate. Some comebacks, sure - but that was all. Nothing to murder someone over.

"I'm going to suck it out."

"No, don't. I've lost too much blood already."

"You can have some of mine afterward, pancake. It'll spread if we wait too long."

_This must be serious. _Ayato never drank her blood after someone else had. He always made a point not to.

"Alright – go ahead."

* * *

A/N: *Fist pump* Yes! I finally got a chance to use Laito's spiderweb quote =3

On a more serious note, I left their exact torture methods to your imagination on purpose. Just know that it was enough to sap all of Yuuki's endurance by the end of it. Of course, Vampire Yuuki would have been strong enough to take down one or two of them, but that's kind of why her anemia hit in the worst possible time. Because I'm a sadistic writer like that. Cheers!


	23. Simple and Clean

"Where's the nurse?" Yuuki asked wearily, leaning on Ayato for support.

"_Doctor_." He corrected. "Who cares? Let's patch you up."

Ayato settled her down on one of the infirmary beds and went to fetch some of the emergency blood kept in a fridge. There was plenty of it for student use, since there were all sorts of supernatural beings who might need it at a moment's notice. Yuuki held herself up in a sitting position with both of her arms locked behind her as she waited.

Ayato returned with a bottle of red liquid. Yuuki's eyes flashed dangerously.

"Where did you get that?" the vampirette demanded. Driven to the edge, her instincts yearned for the blood, but internally, she was disgusted by it.

"Don't worry about the little details, pancake," he responded while handing it to her. "Drink it. Your wounds will heal faster."

Yuuki uncapped the bottle and took a long swig of it. The liquid buzzed down her throat like alcohol. "Ugh."

"Don't complain." Ayato commanded lightly and kneeled on the floor. He dipped a washcloth in a bowl of hot water and massaged it against her legs, where some of the cuts were throbbing. After chugging the rest of her "medicine" down, Yuuki rested her hands on his shoulders and watched. Her head felt like it was clearing up.

"This only happened because you had to be a stubborn, independent ass," Ayato grumbled, but his hands remained gentle.

"Oh, shut up." Yuuki giggled tiredly. She found the obvious contrast between his words and his behavior amusing.

"Is that how you thank your hero, pancake?"

"Looked more like a villain to me," she chuckled in response. It was a good thing that his face was turned away from her sight, or else she would have seen his smirk. She smiled anyway. "But I will commend you on your perfect timing."

"It wasn't." His tone didn't indicate any modesty. "I can't believe you let yourself get hurt by anyone else other than me."

"Thanks, babe. So romantic," Yuuki commented sarcastically. If he had attempted to indicate that the people who care the most are the ones who are hurt the most, then maybe it would have been somewhat poetic. Corny, for sure, but at least she'd award a few brownie points.

But she felt a trace of fear left in her heart. What if he was serious? What if he considered her as tarnished goods?

Almost instantly after he cleaned a damaged area, the injury vanished.

"Whoa. What happened?"

Ayato sighed. "Must I spell everything out for you? U-R-A-V-A-M-P-I-R-E."

"Oh... Can I ask why you're angry?" His dissatisfied expression bothered her. It would be problematic if she accidentally set him off.

"Not angry."

"Yes, you are. What's wrong?"

"Frankly, all this blood's going to waste."

Yuuki's eyes narrowed. He was stalling. "That's definitely not it."

"Oh yea?" Ayato challenged. "Then maybe I should do something about it."

"Eh?"

Without any further warning, he began to lick her scraped knee. All the nerves in vicinity of his tongue flared up at once.

"Kyaa! What the hell are you doing?!" Yuuki yelped, reflexively bashing him on the side of his head with her other leg. Ayato looked up at her with an expression of utter irritation.

"You've got some nerve, pancake..." He growled with menace.

"Sorry, sorry! I didn't mean to do that," she quickly repented. "But, honestly, it was your fault."

"What are you getting so bashful about? I sucked you a minute ago and you didn't care."

Yuuki face-palmed. "That was different!"

He didn't bother responding, being uncharacteristically mature about her outburst. In actuality, he remained silent because he could already guess every word she would utter had he prodded her further. They had a similar debate before.

It _was_ different. Ayato didn't drink for pleasure or swallow back in the restroom. He simply sucked the poison out and spit every once in a while, until it stopped tasting "tainted".

Ayato stood up and moved onto her face with a fresh washcloth. She closed her eyes and he carefully administered his care, erasing all her scars.

Yuuki felt clean and wholesome again. His tenderness alleviated her fear. Truthfully, when it was Ayato who drank her blood, they felt like naughty little love bites. When it was anyone else, they felt dirty. Did he feel the same way?

"Apparently, you and your brothers were princes..." Yuuki mumbled absently.

"Wasn't that obvious?"

"Well, I admit that your mansion is impressive... So is your school."

"What – that's it? Everything about me is impressive, pancake."

Yuuki's remaining injuries protested as she laughed. She had thought wrong. Nothing could shake the immaturity out of her Ayato.

His hand lingered on top of her bite marks. "These will need some more time to heal," he explained, lightly tracing the area around them.

"M'kay... Who were those girls anyway? I'm assuming not just any vampire can attend here."

"They're from various influential families, although they're far below us."

"Us?"

Of course he only meant his brothers. Like Reiji had earlier. _What other response could there be anyway?_

When Ayato did not offer a response, she shuffled off the bed and hugged him.

"Ayato. Take me home."

* * *

The limo was waiting for them. Yuuki was about to hop on before she heard someone call out, "Wait~!" She turned to see RHJT panting and looking somewhat nervous.

"Who_ are _you?" The question was directed at Yuuki.

_Eh?_ She was pretty sure the gang knew perfectly well "who" she was. Why else would they attack her?

Ayato wrapped his arm around Yuuki's shoulders.

"This is Yuuki – the first mortal to endure the awakening, my future-bride, and the one who shares blood with the Demon Lord." He announced before shoving Yuuki into the vehicle and signaling to the driver that it was okay to go.

Inside, Yuuki stared at the boy (who acted like nothing had happened), thoroughly perplexed at what had just occurred.

"Why did you answer?" Yuuki ventured once the school was out of sight.

"So she knew exactly who she dared to mess with."

"I'm not that important..."

"Are you trying to openly insult me, pancake?"

"Yeah, yeah. Everything about you is impressive, I know." Yuuki teased, resting her head on his shoulder. "My bad."

"Exactly. Since you've gotten it right, I'll forgive you."

He tried to kiss her hair, but she moved away before he had the chance.

"Also – stop putting words in other people's mouths! What did you mean by _future-bride_, huh?"

"You said you wanted kids. I'd imagined that you wanted to wait until marriage."

Yuuki transformed into a flustered cherry. His chérie.

"AYATO, YOU IDIOT! I NEVER SAID YES AND I NEVER SAID THEY'LL BE YOURS!"

Ayato only laughed as she attempted to pull his hair out. Her embarrassment never ceased to amused him.

* * *

A/N: If you recognize the song reference - I love you. Self-explanatory chapter. I will leave you to your momentary bliss.


	24. The Aftermath

Pochi tackled Yuuki as soon as they got home and started licking her with affectionate kisses of absolute love.

"Aww, Pochi – hahaha – stop!"

"Oi, mutt. Get off her." Now was not the time for cuddling.

It growled at Ayato when he attempted to pick the dog up. The change in demeanor was appalling. Ayato paused midway before retreating. Not because he was scared of it or anything. He didn't want the pooch to cause a scene right on top of Yuuki. Especially after what she had just been through. His eyes met hers, and Yuuki silently thanked his thoughtfulness. She knew he would never willingly back off from any other ultimatum.

"Pochi? Don't do that, boy. He's the one who saved you in the first place," the girl gently scolded.

The puppy whimpered apologetically and nuzzled into her chest. Ayato felt an unintentional pang of jealousy.

"Don't worry, Koinu~ It's not antagonizing Ayato specifically or anything. Pochi just growls at everyone but you. I should know - I've tried playing with it."

"Laito?"

He leaned against the wall and tipped his signature fedora. "Welcome home. You two are early?"

"Yes. We've – uh – had some issues." Yuuki offered as she sat up.

"Your clothes-"

"I'll explain later when everyone else comes back," she said quickly and tried to change the subject. "What are you doing here?"

"He got suspended for being a pervert again," Ayato interjected.

"Pochi acted as my only company. Koinu-cchi's been ignoring me recently so I've been feeling lonely."

"Oh sorry," Yuuki laughed. She pet the dog on it's fluffy head. "We shouldn't be calling him Pochi, though. It sounds too girly."

"You care far too much about nicknames, pancake. It's like a bad habit."

"Uhh... you two do realize that Pochi is a girl?"

"Say what?!"

Pochi cocked her head innocently at the shocked couple. Then it clicked.

_Ohh, that makes sense. When does Laito ever pay attention to males anyway?_

"So she's only friendly to another female?" Ayato sniffed. The jealous sensation dimmed down until it was only of hum of it's original intensity. It wasn't that bad if Yuuki lavished affection on a pet. Not like a dog could take his place in her heart in the first place.

"I dunno," Yuuki replied, standing up. "What if she can sense that you're all vampires and is just scared?"

"You're a vampire, too." Laito pointed out.

Yuuki smiled innocently. "Well, maybe I'm just more human than the rest of you."

"Alright, if that's the case," Ayato started, "little girls should not be up so late. Now, go take a bath, change, and go to bed."

"Roger that, commander," Yuuki pouted. "Goodnight."

Ayato smiled and gave her a brief kiss, not caring that Laito acted as a witness. Actually, it was better this way. "Goodnight."

She took her bag from him and went upstairs. Pochi followed at her heels.

Laito's eyebrows shot up and he gave Ayato a look that asked for an _explanation, maybe_?

"Not now." Ayato grumbled with a perpetual frown, walking away from the foyer to return to his own room.

He had been holding back his anger. For Yuuki's sake. The second his door shut behind him, it was like the dam had been breached. She couldn't see him here... Good thing she hadn't noticed it too much, despite the tall tale signs of his bad mood. He didn't tease her like normal. If he had truly forgiven her, then he would have jokingly told her to strip back at the infirmary or something. But he knew that it wasn't Yuuki's fault. Rather, if anyone should be begging for his mercy, it would be-

"Those damned bitches..."

All of the negativity gushed forth - an urge to destroy everything in his sight. Had he been Subaru, all the furniture in his bedroom, including the plush carpet, would be in tatters.

But he was not Subaru. He was Ayato.

And Ayato was violent towards _people_ when they committed a heinous crime against him. (Plus, there was no reason to induce Reiji's wrath as well.)

"Now," Ayato chuckled darkly, picking up a bamboo skewer and tossing it up, as if he was testing it. "Who shall we murder first?"

* * *

Laito noticed a seething Ayato opening the front door with a little too much force.

"Where are you going?" Laito asked, feeling somewhat alarmed himself. Not for his own safety, of course. The elder decided that Ayato never looked so terrifying in his life... The only time that the younger brother somewhat resembled this furious demon beast was when he was about to go off on a hunt.

"School. I have some unfinished business to take care of."

* * *

A/N: Ha. 'Cuz _really_... As if Ayato was going to leave it at that ;)


	25. Internal Dissent

This night would go down in history as the first time the academy had to undergo a lock down.

Such an event was unprecedented. Everyone had panicked when the news of a violent intruder caught like wild fire until the teachers enacted the proper emergency procedures.

Security was paramount. The officials immediately evacuated the humans through an underground tunnel system, leaving the others to fend for themselves for the first few minutes of the crisis. The students may have believed that they were given priority because they were wealthy celebrities and children of "important people". They would never know that the true reason was to make sure that there were no witnesses.

Even the supernatural among them were shocked. This wasn't normal. Nobody dared to fight in this institution – where safety of any individual enrolled was guaranteed.

But when was anything _normal_ at a school secretly filled with creatures of the dark?

Their carefully built "peace" had shattered in an instance when they had learned of the rampaging male with especially strong powers. He was targeting a specific group of girls, but the rest of the student body and the staff were painfully unaware of who he was planning to lash out against...

* * *

Two cowered in fear in a dark and empty classroom, tired of running from their inevitable fate. They knew immediately who was after them and that there was no where to hide. Justice had finally come to its reign of terror.

"You don't think," one of the girls whispered to her companion, "that Ayato-sama's planning on killing us, do you?"

"Shut up," the other responded. "We're immortal. We'll be fine."

"_I'm_ not! I'm only part-nephilim." She buried her face into her knees. "I don't have any powers to save myself."

"Don't worry about it," her friend hissed. "You're under Lilith-sama's protection."

The descendent of the nephilim looked up with tears in her eyes and shivered. "You don't believe in that either. Lilith-sama is a greedy bitch who wouldn't give a second thought about us."

"Watch your tongue, Nakusa! Do you _want_ to be branded a traitor?"

"Shh! I hear footsteps."

Indeed, someone approached closer and closer. They sighed in relief when they recognized it as the distinct sound of a pair of stilettos.

"Here's where you two wimps are hiding."

"Lilith-sama! We're so glad to see you," the loyal one gushed as the two girls stood up to greet her. "It looks like you're unhurt... Uh, where is...?"

"He found Arachnae first," the red-headed succubus grimaced. "Don't know what's happened to her. Probably died."

"Serves her right," Nakusa mumbled. "She was downright evil."

Lilith's eyes flashed angrily. Arachnae was one of the few she thought of as her equal - the two sides of the same goddess spectrum. They were the true partners in crime.

"You ungrateful little cockroach." The leader grabbed her subordinate's neck in a death grip. The other girl squealed in horror as Lilith gouged an eye out of her victim with her long, painted nails. "You've seen far too much in your pathetic little life."

Nakusa cried out in pain. The other felt bile rising up her throat, and desperately fought back the urge to vomit. It would be suicide to feel sympathetic towards anyone who provoked Lilith-sama's wrath.

"I should stamp you out completely," the leader snarled at the girl, "but these shoes are way too good for you."

Lilith wiped her grimy paw against Nakusa's blazer and tossed the mutilated former friend to the side.

"What the hell, man? Don't go ahead and start torturing others," a dreadful voice called out. Nobody had to face the door in order to know who had arrived at the scene. The game of cat-and-mouse was over.

"That's _my_ job."

* * *

A/N: I apologize for not updating for an entire week with only a crap chapter to offer by the end of it. Apparently, the night school that Yuuki and the Sakamaki family attend is for celebrities and entertainers. I had to deal with this new revelation, meaning that this chapter came into existence. The student body does include humans, but there are rumors of vampires roaming around (in the canon). The administration is aware of this and therefore provides the proper facilities required for their otherworldly students (in my headcanon), since they could care less where their salary is coming from.

RHJT is called Lilith because I'm so goddamn unoriginal, and Minion No. 1 is now named Nakusa (which means "unwanted" in Marathi). Minion No. 2 won't be named unless any of you awesome readers want to brainstorm ideas for that loyal, mindless little brat. Next chapter will include Ayato's rampage in all of it's proper glory, I promise. Tired of dragging this thing out with far too much exposition lolol.


	26. The Bloody Episode

"Laito?" Yuuki entered the living room, wearing a fresh set of clothes.

"Hmm, what's up Koinu-chan?"

The girl looked around worriedly. "Where's Ayato?"

The elder triplet tensed imperceptibly before evading the question with one of his own. "What's the matter?"

"I... I just have a bad feeling."

The male stood up. He didn't want to distress her by telling her the truth. But Yuuki picked up on the little details in his unusual demeanor and her expression worsened.

"Laito." Yuuki's tone had hardened. She needed confirmation. "Take me to his room."

* * *

The three girls turned to see the incensed predator, who had tracked them down at last.

"You've finally arrived, Ayato-sama! I knew it wouldn't take you long." Lilith addressed somewhat cheerily. She walked towards her broken companion, who was clutching at the destroyed eye. Nakusa screamed as she was picked up by her hair.

"I'm assuming you're here for the blood money," the red-head continued before pushing the girl towards him. "Here."

Ayato caught the sacrificial lamb and snarled. Nakusa whimpered and shut her one good eye to block out the unnerving sight. For a second, she resembled Yuuki back when she was still human. Ayato abruptly let her go like a pack of hot coals and she collapsed at his feet, knees too weak with terror to continue standing.

"She'll die if you play with her long enough. She's no vampire," Lilith trilled, settling down on one of the chairs and crossing her legs.

The male laughed. It was a cold, harsh sound. "You think that this is good enough?" He dropped his bag of weapons onto a table and picked out a sword for convenience's sake. It didn't look like he would have enough time to do this as slowly and painfully as he had hoped.

The sharp, frigid metal suddenly greeted Lilith's neck as Ayato appeared towering over her. His unrestrained glare triggered goosebumps and caused the hair on the back of her neck to stand at attention. The succubus' expression stiffened.

"Oho? What's this... No appetizer?" Lilith asked in a low tone. The playful quality in her demeanor had disappeared.

Her taunting infuriated him. It reminded him of his mother.

"Consider me merciful when I leave you to rest in pieces." Ayato roared before slashing at her throat. He was a second too late.

Lilith appeared a few feet behind him, unharmed. "Ooh, I hope that misstep doesn't bruise your ego. I'll tell you where you erred, my dear – you talked the talk but could not walk the walk. In short, you delayed when you should have striked."

"You can teleport?" the male asked in surprise. Lilith had been _physically_ running away from him ever since he had found that goth freak and took chase after them.

"I have a few powers, you know." She gestured at her last henchman, who huddled against the wall in the vain hope that she wouldn't be noticed. There was no point in trying to escape now. "I'm not one of those_ lower_ vampires."

He spun around to face her. She barely dodged his lightning quick strike, but the front of her shirt tore open.

"Oh my, Ayato-sama! Are you being _forward _with me?" Lilith laughed as she leaped back, using the tables as platforms. She didn't attempt to cover her sudden exposure. Boys tended to get distracted by her rack.

"Shut the fuck up."

Thrust. Retreat. Slice. Jump.

"Fuck? Well, we can do that too."

Ayato couldn't stand this slut. She was too crafty. Too brash. Too plastic.

"Not interested in playing with Barbies." Ayato retorted before launching himself into the air.

* * *

Yuuki knocked on the door. "Ayato? I'm coming in."

Laito concealed his apprehension. He had hesitantly obeyed her order because she would be more suspicious if he had refused.

She turned the knob only to find an empty room. Well, not exactly _empty_. Just without anyone in it.

"Is that an iron maiden?"

"Yeah, but it doesn't have any spikes. Ayato sleeps in it."

"Sounds just like him." She walked up to the device and reached down to open it before Laito caught her wrist. Yuuki looked at him with a puzzled expression.

"Don't disturb him right now."

The urgency in voice unsettled her further.

"... He's not here, is he?"

Laito choked on any excuse that he could offer. "No. He's not here."

Her eyes filled with tears. The boy stared in grief before pulling her into an embrace.

"Why are you crying, Koinu-cchi?" Laito asked, while patting her soothingly. It wasn't like he had admitted that his younger brother was getting into some sort of danger. She had not witnessed the worst part. There was no valid for Yuuki to be worried, although Ayato _was_ probably doing something reckless.

Yuuki sobbed soundlessly while mentally debating whether to answer or not. Even if she didn't necessarily distrust him, why would she spill all of her heartache and sadness to Laito? Besides, how could she possibly articulate all of the thoughts flooding her mind? The vampirette decided to only tell him half of the truth if not all of it.

Laito could barely hear her muffled response. Or at least, he wished that he heard it wrong.

"Because he's not here... when I need him to hold me."

* * *

Nakusa and her ex-friend watched the ensuing battle with a mixture of awe and despair. Lilith and Ayato were truly a terrifying sight to behold.

It looked like the duo were swaying to an elaborate dance that would only end with one party's death. She would narrowly avoid his blows. He would get angrier and exert more energy to injure her. They could see it on his face. He wanted to hack her guts out, but she wouldn't let him.

"Are we not equally matched? Am I not a worthy partner?" the succubus called out in between close encounters with hellish pain and another evaded wound.

Ayato was about to respond with an "In your dreams, bitch" behind grit teeth when Lilith tripped on his bag. In fact, the others felt somewhat impressed that she hadn't done so earlier, since she was wearing high heels that were practically weapons themselves. They were called stilettos for a reason.

"Oof. Hold up. I should get a fair chance at this too," the chick said, making a time-out motion with her hands. Ayato mentally rolled his eyes and used the distraction to his advantage.

"AH! What are you doing?!" She cried as gashes materialized all over her body. The bag dropped to the floor with a thud and muted clangs. "I wasn't ready!"

"When did you ever care about an honest competition?" This hypocrite had played dirty the moment she had set her claws on Yuuki, who she obviously saw as a rival. So technically, she started it. "Do you think I'm playing your little game here?!"

"Frankly, yes. Now stop – STOP! It hurts!"

Ayato paused. Not for a rare display of mercy. God, no. It was all for the effect of the suffocating silence that followed. Nobody moved, afraid of breaking the sudden, unexpected hush.

"It hurts now, you say?" Ayato hissed. "Good. You deserve it. And I'm going to do exactly what you've done to my Yuuki. Except this time, it's going to be a nightmare that you will never escape."

Lilith prickled. If there was one prevailing trait that could define her, it would be jealousy.

"Oh, that pathetic excuse of a former human? She's even worse than a pure-bred vampire. A monster of her own worthless kind."

Ayato's nostrils flared in anger and stabbed the woman right in her torso.

"NO!" Lilith's last friend cried out. She clamped her hands firmly on her mouth although there was no need. Everyone ignored her outburst. Tears streamed down her face and she silently called out for "Lilith-sama, Lilith-sama."

"What makes you think you're any better?" Ayato exploded as his victim howled. Blood spilled out of her and stained the tatters of her ruined uniform.

Lilith grabbed the blade and mutilated her own palm, but the sword would not budge. He was too strong.

"Go ahead. Kill me, Ayato-sama," the succubus wailed. "You will only confirm the love that I have given to you all these years."

"Stop spouting nonsense." He dug the weapon deeper into her. "You never loved me."

"I did and I do!" Lilith insisted. "Or else I would not have become so successful. I dedicated my life, my body, my _everything_ for you, Ayato-sama. Look at me. How can_ she_ even compare to what I can offer?"

He had never heard a bigger lie. Who gave a damn about this chick's so-called plights and misfortunes? Unfortunately, he would not fall for the sympathy card.

"Pathetic." Ayato commented. This red-headed pair of jumbo tits was truly pathetic. He drew the sharp metal out of her. She inhaled in sharp relief before coughing up blood. Lilith clutched her disfigured side and heaved. She did not see him raising his arm to deliver the final blow until her friend shrieked and jumped in front of her. No, not jumped. _Threw_ herself in the way.

Lilith froze as she watched Ayato beheaded her final companion in slow-motion horror.

Ayato also paused in surprise at the self-sacrifice, before once again raising his sword. Lilith flinched but felt nothing. She opened her eyes to see Ayato violently mutilating the severed body and rushed forward. It wasn't a selfless act or a reflex based on instinctive disgust – she could care less about her fallen "friend" - but the horrifying and belated realization that he lacked even an ounce of mercy. That he would kill anyone without a second thought.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" Lilith screeched. Ayato threw her off.

"I won't forgive anyone who dared to even_ touch _Yuuki," he growled before turning stalking towards her.

There were noises from the corridor.

"Why do you care so much about her?" Lilith asked, supporting herself with the table that she had crashed against.

Ayato brandished bloodied sword once again. "... Because Yuuki can let me surpass my father. Not turn me into him."

At the exact moment when Lilith believed that she could see the reaper hanging behind every step Ayato took, the door burst open. The outsiders had come to crash the party.

* * *

A/N: There you have it. I've done everything to possibly disappoint you further. I'm sorry but I'll say it again: damn, you readers are way too good at guessing what's going to happen next.

This somewhat all-over-the place chapter needs some serious A/N addressing, I should think.

1) The reason I included Yuuki's hunch (hashtag-unnecessary-interruptions) is because ultimately the story is about her _and_ I've kind of noticed that she and Ayato share some sort of telepathic wavelength. No, seriously. Remember when she and Ayato both were trying to drown Cordelia together although neither could consult each other? It's like they instinctively know what the other is thinking when push comes to shove (pun totally intended). You can quote that in your shipping journal, lol.

2) Poor Laito's soul. Yuuki basically saying that he's not good enough. So friend-zoned, jajaja.

3) I hope I made this clear enough, but if not, I'll just say it outright. Ayato hates his parents so much that he starts projecting that hate to his other enemies. Gosh, this kid has problems. As in, violent tendencies and temper issues albiet for the sake of revenge. Also, Lilith is an idiot for thinking his desire to murder her brutally could mean any "special feelings" in the first place. It takes her buddy's downfall to make her figure it out. SMH.

4) Stupid-arc-with-detestable-characters-who-end-up-dying-the-same-night-that-they-are-introduced does have a reason. I'll explore that in the next few chapters. Alright, thanks for reading everybody. Toodles.


	27. Disturbing the Peace

Yuuki felt a band of sunlight peeking through a gap in the curtains. It wasn't often that she awoke while the sun was still out anymore – adjusting to a nocturnal lifestyle meant spending fewer hours with the daylight. The "battle scar" on her neck stung when she shifted her neck.

"Ow..." Yuuki fingered the bandages lightly, feeling both refreshed and heavy.

_I wonder if they didn't recover yet because of the poison._ Yuuki thought absently._ Oh well. I've had plenty of bites when I was human. I can deal with a little pain._

Pochi was napping at the foot of her bed peacefully. It had fallen asleep there when Laito had tucked her into bed after she had cried all over his shoulder. She made a mental note to thank him sometime and apologize for causing a scene as she shuffled off the plush mattress and padded downstairs. Yuuki didn't bother changing because it was unlikely that any of the boys were up, especially after such a long night.

_A long night for me, maybe. I guess I need to tell the others what happened before even more rumors start popping up. _

Yuuki frowned at the prospect of breaking the truth. It would be problematic if the boys reacted negatively.

_Sigh, this is honestly my own fault. Jumbo tits would have probably left me alone had I been a good little Japanese girl and ignored them. But no~ I had to go ahead and attempt to confront them on my own as if it would solve my problems. This western-style mansion is getting to my head, I swear. Reiji's right. I need to learn my place... but even then... Who would have thought I'd have to deal with bullying after all the things I've been through? God, is this another test for me? I'm sorry if I've been a bad person. I'll try to shape up and control this loose tongue of mine._

Yuuki was about to turn the knob to the living room but stopped herself when she heard angry voices from the other side.

"-hat were you thinking?" Reiji voice rebuked, stern and fierce. "You nearly jeopardized our true identities tonight!"

"We can deal with the witnesses," Kanato tried to reason.

"It's not a matter of dealing with the _witnesses_." Reiji's words were dripping with scorn. "Can you even _comprehend_ how shameful it is to have not three, but _four_ boys from the same household suspended, Ayato?"

_What about Ayato? What suspension?_ Yuuki perked up, her ear glued to the door. She could care less that eavesdropping was a very bad habit indeed.

"Hold on, it's not the end of the world," Laito piped up. "Many girls have died at our hands before..."

"Never at school." Kanato's muffled voice indicated that he was probably hiding behind Teddy.

Although already well aware of the sacrificial brides, she still gasped internally. Why were they talking about dead girls? She didn't want to guess. It chilled her that suspension would be the bigger issue.

"I've told you again and_ again_ to keep those kind of activities to. your. room. Who the hell do you think has to deal with the damages?!"

A chair fell backwards. Subaru gave a surprised shout and she heard noises of a small scuffle. Yuuki almost decided to interrupt before Ayato cut in.

"Don't try to act like you weren't involved," the youngest triplet hissed.

"Yes, I was." The sound of Reiji pushing his younger brother to the ground and brushing his blazer off. "And because of your idiotic decisions, _I _had to get my hands dirty."

"Shut up, you stupid neat freak. As if-"

The wall next to the door shook as Subaru punched it in order to gain his brothers' attention.

"Enough!" Subaru roared. "Stop fighting amongst yourselves. We need to discuss an emergency here."

"Exactly," Laito added, obviously peeved. "Put your damned egos aside for a minute and_ think_. This is about Yuuki in the end and I know perfectly well that all of you are just as concerned as I am!"

"What about me?" Yuuki demanded, bursting into the room unapologetically. Kanato seemed the least surprised. He had been the first to detect her presence while the others were busy fighting.

"Care to explain, Ayato?" Reiji challenged, forcing the boy to stand and face Yuuki. She nearly choked when he did. His shirt was destroyed and stained and his eyes were bloodshot.

_Calm down, Yuuki, let's not be rash here. It's not the worst-case scenario. _Her voice of reason superficially comforted her. _Yet._

Ayato looked down in shame - something that was previously unimaginable. He couldn't smirk at her normally while looking like he had just been on a killing spree. Which, in fact, was the truth. His shyness worried her. Yuuki looked around the room, but it didn't look like they were planning to offer any explanation.

"... Before I jump to conclusions... tell me _exactly_ what you were doing..." Her fist quivered at her side along with her voice.

"I-" His green eyes fluttered to the side. Ayato cleared his throat. Why was he, the Almighty and Great Ayato Sakamaki afraid of some stupid little question anyway? There was no shame in what he'd done. Fighting for vengeance could be called _honorable_... right?

"I got rid of them," he answered shortly.

"Them? Who?" Yuuki's sour expression deepened. It was clear that she was going to hear the answer that she had wished to avoid - but until he clarified it, there was still a sliver of hope. _A tiny, almost statistically insignificant sliver of hope._

"Those bitches." Ayato shrugged nonchalantly. "Who else?"

"YOU RETARDDD~!" Yuuki bellowed and flung herself at him. Her emotionally-charged punch nearly landed squarely on his nose, pausing only a hairsbreadth away. Ayato stumbled backwards by a few steps and momentary alarm passed through the onlookers.

She felt like killing him. She really did. Instead, Yuuki retreated her suspended hand.

"Nothing gets accomplished through violence," she spat before swirling on her heels and exiting the room with an air of fury.

_Not properly._

* * *

A/N: A little culture lesson - Japanese people are very non-confrontational, which is one of the reasons why Yuuki's behavior with Lilith was so unusual. Normally, Yuuki would ignore the gang's insults and provocation. Even after getting into the fight, she couldn't expect to be helped out by a stranger had someone else walked into the bathroom. That's why Yuuki is frustrated at herself at the beginning of this chapter, thinking that the encounter could have easily been avoided.

Yuuki, being the merciful, self-blaming little creature she is, would obviously react negatively to the news. Ayato seems to have lost a piece of himself =/ I am just _not_ liking how any of the characters are dealing with this situation. Therefore, I shall make amends with the following additions, where I will address a few questions that may have crossed your mind: Where's Shu? Also, did they literally get off the hook with _suspensions_?!

I can only hope this acts as a rude awakening to the brokenness of the family, rather than this idealized portrait of romance and supernatural struggles. I apologize once again for a delayed chapter installment. My laptop took over 24 hours to update something that should of taken 3 minutes at maximum. Hashtag-First-World-Problems.


	28. Damsel in Distress

Yuuki cursed internally with every step she took.

_That idiot! That stupid, brainless, violent, unbelievable, half-witted monster! Who the hell actually kills someone for being a dumb bully? AYATO – that's who. I can't believe it. I can't believe him! I can't... UGH._

"Pancake!" the boy in question called out from behind her. She twirled around to face him.

"Go away, Ayato! This isn't something where you can apologize and everything's all perfectly fine again."

"Just listen to me."

"No – I don't want to hear it." Yuuki broke into a dash.

The vampirette feared that she was the cause of even more suffering. Rather, she _knew_ that the cause of the bloodshed was herself. And the idea terrified her.

Yuuki slammed her bedroom door shut loudly, scaring the still-drowsy dog.

"Sorry, Pochi," the girl huffed before plopping down beside it. She covered her face with her palms.

"I can't believe I_ trusted_ him," Yuuki lamented. She felt like she was going to vomit.

The dog poked her gently with its wet nose as if to ask, "What's wrong? Don't be sad – everything's going to be alright."

The irony of its concern and imaginary-encouragement in contrast to the harsh reality made her giggle coldly.

"No, dear. Unfortunately, it's not alright. And it can never be." Yuuki said as she cupped it's furry face.

"Granted, those girls totally deserved what was coming to them, but I mean... It doesn't make murder okay."

The situation seemed somewhat parallel to what had transpired between her and Cordelia. In the end, the witch and her lover had both died at the hands of the brothers. Why did it seem so wrong now?

She shook the dog's head almost playfully. "How am I supposed to make him understand, Pochi? He's a _vampire_, for God's sake! A head ache that shouldn't even exist in the first place. Oh, why is it always like this? It's not fair. This shouldn't be happening."

Pochi whined in sympathy and Yuuki sighed. Talking to a pet was not solving anything... Suddenly, the dog turned it's head and growled.

"What's wrong, girl? Is-"

"Don't - Don't run away from me."

Yuuki visibly trembled at the sound of Ayato's frustrated voice. He had appeared in her room without permission. Again.

Pochi started to bark as he approached. The girl quickly put a hand on the animal to calm it down.

"Down, girl." Yuuki whispered.

"What? Are you scared of me now?" Ayato asked when the vampirette remained silent.

"Nn... Yes." Yuuki admitted. There was no point in lying or trying to act tough.

"You know I'd never hurt you."

Yuuki shied away. "I don't believe you."

He bristled. "Why?"

"... You've hurt me before."

"Not my fault that you're over emotional about everything. You're just way too sentimental and shit."

_Oh, so caring is a vice now?_

"That's not what I meant and you know it. Don't pretend that you haven't physically done so in the past," the girl accused.

Ayato scoffed. "Physically? Biting doesn't count."

"True. I can't blame you for your nature."

"Then why the hell are you avoiding me, pancake?!"

Yuuki poked him in the chest.

"Because _you_ have problems," she sneered. "Should I spell it out for you? You're a jealous bastard. You've literally slapped me just because I was_ dancing_ with your brother. I should have realized it then... You're downright _abusive_, Ayato. You would just as easily break your own family member's bones as you would ruthlessly _kill_ another person."

Why did his heart throb with a dreadful sense of guilt? His heart wasn't even beating. Ayato grabbed her wrist and kept her from pulling away. She squealed unhappily. Pochi shuffled around on top of the mattress, annoyed at Ayato but unwilling to disobey orders.

"Why is it a problem if I get rid of what's tormenting you?" Ayato asked quietly.

_Oh, how ro-man-tic~_ She rolled her eyes.

"For one," Yuuki retorted. "I told you to treat girls gently."

"Don't be so dense, pancake. You really expect me to leave them alone after what they've done to you? Do you know how many people would think that it's okay to just go ahead and mess around with what's mine? No fucking way."

"You don't get it, Ayato!" Yuuki exclaimed as she finally escaped his grasp. "I didn't need you to go so far or take revenge or whatever the hell you were trying to accomplish. I could've hadn't myself just fine, thank you very much. I feel_ betrayed_ honestly. I was so, so, so happy when you helped me out back there. I know how much you care. And I thought you had forgiven me. You're right - I'm an idiot. But please. Please. Just let me deal with my own problems for once!"

Yuuki had started to cry in the middle of her ranting.

"I'm so sick and tired of being the damsel in distress! You don't have to try to be my knight in shining armor. But - for me - can you please try _not_ to be the villain? Just be the attention-seeking prankster that I fell for. I can't take it anymore, Ayato. I can't stand it when you're the enemy."

Startled by the sudden plethora of confessions, his instincts told him to comfort her. That was all he should have done in the first place; trust her to deal with the situation and support her along the way. Besides, Yuuki was resilient. She wouldn't let petty bullies rob her of her smile. He would know. He was once one of them.

Deep down inside, Ayato realized that the right thing to do was to apologize - but that simply wasn't his style.

"Hey, Yuuki? ... Yuuki. Look at me."

"I can't," the girl whimpered.

"What do you mean you can't?"

She shook her head. "Have you even seen yourself?"

"Eh?" Ayato turned towards her vanity to see his own ghastly appearance reflected in the mirror. He examined his bloody hands and clothes.

"I guess... you could say I look dead sexy?"

Yuuki couldn't help but snicker at his attempt to make light of the situation.

"Yes. Quite literally."

Ayato stared at Yuuki in silence. Pochi cocked its head in curiosity.

"... Mind helping me clean up?"

The meaning behind his question was not lost.

Yuuki figured that it was the best apology that she was going to get. Besides, even if she forgave him, there were still consequences left to face. And if anyone would bother helping the misled and moronic boy at all, Yuuki preferred to be the one standing beside him - vampire or not.

"Sure. I'll help you hide the body," the vampirette joked grimly. Her sanity shook it's head sagely in disapproval.

* * *

A/N: Well then... Yuuki confessed without even realizing it =3= It's sort of disappointing. Nah, more like, she's disappointed in her own unconditional love.

I hope you read this while imagining a cold atmosphere around them. It wasn't meant to be all fuzzy-warm with cuddling and mercy. (Firstly, the fact that Ayato is filthy is not an appealing thought. And secondly, Pochi probably would have cock-blocked them.) She literally tears him apart, calls him abusive, and then proceeds to accept him. It's a very bad cycle to be honest. (Life Tip: when in an argument, use "I" to describe how you feel. Avoid using "you", which comes off as accusing.) Thus, I shall once again state my intention for this fanfic to sink or swim with this ship and hope that I can keep it from sinking in the first place.

Oh, by the way, Yuuki's not going to _actually _help him hide any bodies. It's an expression to show that he can count on her. Just to clarify. I don't want Yuuki to be going anywhere near those corpses... Anyway, we'll have more of the Sakamaki family in the following chapters. Please continue to look forward to it ^u^


	29. Deliberation

"Ayato, I'm coming in~" Yuuki announced before entering the bathroom with a fresh set of clothes.

She shyly handed the articles and looked away, feeling like she was intruding on his privacy even though he was wearing a bathrobe. His half-exposed chest? Ayato never buttoned up his uniform properly anyway. Besides, it's not like seeing the other leg was scandalous simply because he only rolled up one end of his pants.

Maybe it was the fact that the grime of the night before had been replaced with soft, clean terry cloth. The whiteness made him look almost angelic. Maybe she felt embarrassed because she was in the presence of a _freshly bathed male_... Which was definitely not a thought that she was going to explore any further.

Yuuki blushed when he caught her spying out of the corner of her eye.

"Erm, do you need anything else?" The vampirette asked hastily.

Ayato smirked and flicked his wet hair out of his eyes. "Nah, I'm good for now."

"Alright then... Imma go now."

Yuuki all but ran out, feeling incredibly foolish.

_Ugh, what's wrong with me? He's going to think I'm some sort of pervert. Well, in terms of nakedness, he's seen far more of my skin than I have of his... so HE'S the pervert!_

The incident reminded her of the time where she found the eldest brother in the bathtub.

_Oh, yeah... Was Shu in with the others this morning? I don't remember seeing him. Hmm, well I guess we have some serious explaining to do. Or at least, I want to hear the full story first. Being ignorant of the situation is frustrating._

"Koinu-cchi!"

"Huh? Oh, Laito. Sorry for the fuss earlier today."

"About that... tell Ayato to hurry up. We're holding a meeting – like,_ right now_."

"Eh?" Yuuki blinked rapidly in confusion. "During the daytime?"

Laito yawned on cue. "Yes. We're all tired but it's not like this is something we can delay."

"Agreed," the girl sighed. Yuuki turned around to knock at the door once again but Ayato opened it at the same instance. He could tell what she meant to say just by her expression.

"Yeah, yeah..." Ayato grumbled. "I'm coming down." He reached down to grab Yuuki's wrist and tug it along. "You're coming too."

"Um, are you sure I'm allowed to attend?"

"You're part of the family, now. Plus this concerns you too."

Laito raised an eyebrow, but decided to keep his thoughts to himself for the sake of diplomacy. Yuuki remembered that she had intended to thank him, except she'd have to word it in a way so Ayato wouldn't become jealous. She didn't want to be Miss Center-of-another-quarrel.

"By the way - thanks for the help, Laito. I couldn't have found Ayato's room without you."

_Good. Now it sounds like he showed me where to find the clothes. I'm so smart._

"-Hurry up, pancake. Reiji will be mad if we're late."

_I'm sure that's not what he's actually mad about._

"Alright, alright. We can _walk _you know! You don't have to drag me along."

* * *

"... Where are we going?" Yuuki asked after they passed the sitting room. Ayato only squeezed her hand as they followed Laito down to a far corner of the house. They entered a room in the basement that resembled some sort of garage, with a chandelier of Edison light bulbs illuminating a single table. It was strangely industrial chic compared to the victorian-ness of the rest of the mansion. It felt somewhat out of place and cold.

_Strange, yet intentional._ Yuuki thought morbidly.

The rest of the family was already there... As well as something – or some_one_ – else.

"Oh my gosh!" Yuuki gasped when they came close enough to see a girl tied up to a chair. The vampirette recognized her as the one who had called her a cockroach. Ayato's bag of weapons was discarded next to the chair.

"Ah, Yuu-chan came along?" Kanato asked when they noticed their arrival.

"What's going on here!?" Yuuki demanded, noticing some obscure sharp item in Kanato's hands. "Why is this girl gagged?"

The purple-haired boy shrugged. "I'm only gentle if I'm planning on preserving them," he mumbled unapologetically.

Ayato pulled her closer, almost like he was protecting her, and whispered, "What are you getting angry about, pancake?"

"You thought they were all dead?" Laito asked.

"Yes."

"This is the only survivor among the four that attacked you." Reiji explained. "A nephilim."

"Reiji! How could you allow this?" Yuuki accused. She did not expect to see him letting someone be tortured right in front of his eyes. Wasn't he supposed to intervene? Where was the paradigm of justice and proper behavior now?

Subaru banged the table. "Forget about that for the moment! We have some other things to discuss first."

Yuuki suppressed her outrage momentarily and turned towards the circle. Shu was at the head of the table.

"Yuuki, sit down." Subaru ordered. "You look like you want someone to explain."

"Damn right I do." Yuuki said as she crossed her arms.

"The nephilim has already told us what they have done to you..."

* * *

The vampirette was seething at the end of the discussion. Re-living last night seemed to carry a lifetime of hurt.

"So let me get this straight..." Yuuki started with her voice shaking. She paused to remind herself to remain calm. "After I was sent off to bed, Ayato returned to school. He attacked the spider chick, where you two," she gestured at Reiji and Kanato, "intervened. You _let_ _him get away with it_ and he goes off to kill the two others right in front of this poor girl?!"

The brothers nodded.

"_I'm ashamed of all of you._" Yuuki spat. "This dumb idiot would have kept up his rampage had Shu and Subaru not have burst into the classroom. You're lucky nobody from school witnessed it."

"Not exactly," Kanato corrected. "The school doctor was the one who gave me and Reiji and Ayato our suspensions for now."

"You're lucky you got off with _suspensions_! Do you realize what you've done?!" Yuuki exclaimed, horrified at their indifference.

"We realize it better than you do," Subaru growled, hushing the girl properly.

"And now I've got my record soiled..." Reiji scowled under his breath.

"I think we can trust the doctor to clean up." Laito interjected quickly. He didn't want a replay of their earlier scuffle.

The vampirette regarded the eldest triplet with bewilderment. "How come?"

"He knows the true identities and races of all the students... Since he has to take care of any sort of – how should I put it? – _ emergency_."

"We still have to worry about damage control." Reiji said, pinching the bridge between his nose before adjusting his glasses. "Hushing up the media will be troublesome. Lilith was a pretty well known idol. And murdering the Black Widow of the East will not settle well with her family."

"That's not a problem. We can give them enough blood money to live happily for the next one hundred years." Laito pointed out.

"It's their fault for picking a fight with us in the first place." Ayato added. "They'll accept their daughter's dishonor in targeting us through our allies."

In the silence that followed, Yuuki's temper cooled down a little. She realized that in the supernatural world, this kind of conflict may occur often and there were probably established ways to deal with the consequences. The fact that the brothers were sitting down and discussing this very serious matter was progress in itself. Letting her be a part of this was a rare privilege in any case. She had been excessively judgmental in a situation where she understood very little.

Finally, Shu spoke. "This is not something that we can judge for ourselves. I've contacted our father this morning. He's already on his way."

A collective unease penetrated the group. The brothers grimaced at the thought of Karlheinz visiting.

"You're screwed, Ayato." Kanato mocked.

Yuuki turned to look at the boy sitting next to her. Ayato covered his face with the crook of his elbow, red with despair.

"I know that," he groaned in reply.

"What's wrong?" Yuuki asked, genuinely concerned. She had never seen Ayato look so distressed. Especially since he always referred to his parents in scornful contempt whenever they popped into a conversation.

"You don't know this Yuu-chan, but when Shu was held back for failing his exam, our father sent him to train in the North Pole."

"It was a real survival trip," Ayato commented once he regained his composure. "He had to fight polar bears and came back all scratched up and on the brink of collapse."

Yuuki glanced at the eldest in disbelief, but Shu didn't deny it. She had a hard time believing that the lazy young man would ever put in enough effort to make a PB&amp;J for himself, let alone fight for sheer survival.

"Well, I guess that takes care of the question of what to do with the guilty parties." Reiji stated.

"For now." Kanato said doubtfully. "But what if something like this happens again?"

Yuuki perked up at the new subject. "Just teach me how to defend myself," she voiced.

"What are you saying, pancake?" Ayato picked up one of her skinny arms and waved it around comically. "See how fragile you are?"

Annoyed, Yuuki pulled her arm back and swatted him. "You forget that I've gotten stronger. I told you right? I'm tired of being the damsel in distress."

Laito nodded. "What's there to lose? A few self-defense lessons won't hurt."

They turned towards Reiji, who was their de facto head, for his approval.

"Don't look at me. I don't have time to be instructing her. I need to prepare for Karlheinz."

Nobody bothered asking Shu, who would obviously prefer a nap. Kanato was too much of a crybaby to be trusted with such a task.

Laito also refused. "I don't fight girls," he said, adjusting his fedora with a smile. "I only eat them up."

At this point, Yuuki suggested, "Why not just have Subaru teach me?"

"Eh?" The youngest uncrossed his arms, surprised at the sudden attention. "Why me?"

"Yeah, why him?" Ayato echoed.

"Because I know that Subaru's strong," Yuuki said. "And he's not suspended."

Nobody could argue with her logic, even if a certain red-head wanted to challenge the new development. Alongside teaching self-defense, Subaru was in a position where he could act as her bodyguard.

Subaru sent Yuuki a look of gratefulness. It was not long ago that he confessed that he was a weakling unable to protect those he cared for. The fact that the vampirette could so confidently state that she trusted his ability was encouraging. It made him feel worthy. Not useless.

"How come you won't consider me?" Ayato asked, his ego evidently bruised.

"Because, I don't want to fight with you." Yuuki whispered back, which seemed acceptable enough to appease his concern. The vampirette leaned back on her chair and exhaled deeply.

_Anyone, but you..._

* * *

A/N: This crisis forced them to undergo a huge shift in their character development, wouldn't you think? You would never expect the Canon!Sakamaki family to sit down and actually discuss an issue openly and come to a rational conclusion - which is leaving the decision up to KARLHEINZ of all people! Plus, I love the fact that Yuuki's standing up for herself and trying to become stronger. Stuck a ton of AyatoxYuuki tidbits to make up for the last chapter because I owe it to you guys ^_^


	30. Spare

Nakusa whimpered and the group remembered her existence.

"What should we do with the nephilim?" Laito asked.

"Give her to Yuuki." Ayato replied without hesitation.

"Wha-" the vampirette blurted in surprise.

"You need a steady source of blood. 'Sides, she's practically human," Ayato explained.

"But-"

"Good idea." Reiji half-praised.

"It would makes sense to give her to Yuu-chan since Lilith offered her as a sacrifice in the first place."

"Wait! I don't want to be dumped with her!" Yuuki protested.

"Why not?" Laito inquired.

"Just let her go free," the girl suggested.

The brothers looked at her incredulously. Ayato snorted.

"No way. We'll kill her if it comes to that. I left her alive for a reason."

The nephilim tried to say something, but was reduced to tears when it proved impossible. Yuuki stood up and ungagged her, not bothering to ask for permission to do so.

"What is it?" Yuuki demanded, not unkindly.

"Go ahead. I always _unwanted_." Nakusa sobbed. "Just end my misery and kill me."

Yuuki felt a pang of sympathy. A few weeks ago, she was in the same situation.

_Would it be kinder to let her die?_

Ayato noticed Yuuki's conflicted state. He looked at his brothers in turn and they seemed to come to a silent agreement. They could not help the fact that their own souls were tainted, but none of them wanted the vampirette's hands to be similarly stained.

"Pancake," he started, "I'll support any decision you make. If you want to leave the girl alive, we'll leave her under your protection. Do you understand? You'll be responsible for her... _But_, if you don't want to deal with it and leave this matter behind you, we get to choose what to do. You of all people are not required to be merciful. Don't forget that she was one of your attackers..."

His attempt to show that they were willing to approve of any standard that she would allow herself miserably backfired. Yuuki gazed at Ayato with despair, and mouthed "How could I ever forget?" soundlessly.

How could he put her under the spotlight? How dare he give her such a stressful decision to make?

Reiji also tried to tip the scale. "Either way doesn't bode well from the perspective of the girl, if you're trying to find the lesser evil, Yuuki. You are a vampire now. However, I will say that obtaining blood from the hospital is a bother on my part..."

He left the fact that this was a perfect alternative unspoken. His warning was a rude awakening for the vampirette.

_Think. You're next words will change this girl's life forever. No – don't even consider them right now._

The girl shut her eyes to keep herself from looking at either the boys or their prisoner. The light bulbs bore onto her eyelids, and she concentrated on the shifting colors.

_How does this affect me? Technically either option is to my benefit._ Reiji's reiteration of Ayato's exasperated statement from last night rolled past her mind. _"You are a vampire." I am a vampire. I have to stop thinking like a human in this matter..._

Yuuki opened her eyes.

"I will take her," the girl declared to the others, who patiently waited for her response. "She is my exclusive meal now."

With that, their meeting was adjourned. Laito volunteered to take Nakusa to her new quarters and the others decided it was time to hit the sack.

When Yuuki returned to her room, Pochi greeted her without reserve. She pet the dog absently.

Yuuki nearly envied its innocence. It was completely unaware of the decision she had just made. It still loved her and held no quarrel with her in its heart.

"Here, girl. I think it's time for your lunch," she cooed in soft tones. Yuuki had given Pochi its breakfast right after she had changed out of her nightgown so it was a tad too early for lunch. She rewarded it with a treat instead.

The vampired sighed as the puppy nuzzled her palm and licked the remaining stray crumbs of a biscuit.

In truth, she had not wanted to admit that she was too weak to call the death sentence upon the nephilim... In truth, she did not want to come to peaceful terms with her former tormenters. But if she had admitted that, then it would seem like she hadn't found the heart to forgive the six boys she cared so much for.

Yuuki curled up into herself, sharing her sorrows and misfortunes with God alone.

_Really, life's so endlessly cruel..._

* * *

Laito led the nephilim to a simple bedroom in a tower.

"Really," he chuckled as he undid the ropes that bound her hands. "You are endlessly lucky."

"How so?" Nakusa asked lifelessly, making the vampire look into her eyes sharply. He brought his hand up to stroke a strand of her hair.

"You don't get it, do you?" Laito said as his fingers moved down her chin and onto your neck. "Here you are, so obscenely cut up, and yet I am forbidden to partake in the blood that is before me."

Nakusa inhaled sharply and stepped back, quite unnecessarily. Laito's hand dropped to his side and he made no move to approach her.

"I'm not interested in you – it cannot compare to what I am enamored by," the vampire stated indifferently.

He turned to walk out of the bedroom. "But I will say this. You are lucky in that Yuuki called you her _exclusive meal_." The lock clicked loudly as Laito turned the key for the door – a black iron gate.

The nephilim rubbed her wrists as she stared at barrier to her freedom. Laito pocketed the keys and they jingled happily.

"And if there is one woman I respect in this world, it would be her."

* * *

A/N: I think Yuuki's main inner struggle is being unable to love those around her without reserve. She still loves them, but it's always paired with a sense of guilt. I really enjoyed writing this scene, where nobody was there to judge her and Pochi acted as a medium of comfort. On the other hand, it's lovely how the others hold her to such high esteem and are constantly trying to protect her. She touched their hearts, and therefore earned their respect...

Anyone notice the chapter title word-play? "Spare" as in "spared; saved" as well as "leftover; uneaten; undesired" pretty much sums up Nakusa's situation, lawl.


	31. Healing

Someone gently stroked Yuuki's hair, stirring her from her sleep. At first, she thought it was Pochi nuzzling her skull, but she could still feel its weight on her legs.

"Mm... Ayato?" Yuuki asked as she rolled over to face him, rubbing her eyes.

"Good morn– er – night," he replied quietly.

"What is this pervert doing in the bed of an unmarried woman?" She didn't mind, though. It had happened so often that she had stopped being surprised. At least until she wrapped an arm around him. "Are you _shirtless_?" Yuuki spluttered.

"Can't help it. It's hot."

Yuuki muttered something inaudible before falling back into dreamland.

Ayato felt somewhat smug about the fact that she didn't seem to care that he had sneaked under the covers again. A few seconds later, however, she sat up with a start.

"Oh gosh. I have to get ready for school!" Yuuki exclaimed. Both the dog and the vampire shifted in annoyance. Ayato pulled her back down onto the pillow.

"Don't worry about it. 's canceled," he grumbled.

"How come?"

"It's shut down for the next week for a formal investigation or something."

"They don't know it was you guys?"

"It's obviously a cover. The less people involved, the better... The few supernaturals who had detected my presence are keeping silent."

"Oh. Makes sense." She started to draw patterns on his chest. "What's the official story then?"

Ayato adjusted himself until he was sitting, his arm laid out in a way so that Yuuki could rest on it.

"Uhh... some berserk groupie entered the school premises... lashed out at certain famous individuals who wish to remain anonymous at this time... school closed for the safety of their students as the administrators handle the issue and figure out how someone was able to get into the building in the first place."

"Ooh, what a scandal. I'm sure you've caused quite an uproar," she commented before giggling.

"What's so funny, pancake?" A few hours ago, Yuuki resembled a boiling kettle whenever they were on the subject of his rampage.

"You're supposedly 'some berserk groupie' now. It's kind of funny."

"Ha~ha," Ayato replied dryly, trying to fight the impulse to jump her. She really was oblivious to her own charm. "You obviously got over it quickly."

"Oh, Ayato. Don't think I'm not angry about this entire fiasco. I am. But let me forget about it for this moment, will you?" Basically, she was asking to let her hug him without thinking that she was in love with a murderer. Had she not already resolved to support him?

They stayed in that position in silence until Pochi truly arose a few minutes later. It immediately sensed another presence and bared its teeth at the boy. Ayato mimicked the expression and kicked the blanket near it to startle the animal.

"Don't bully it," the girl scolded. "Come here, Pochi. It's okay... Good girl."

The puppy stepped awkwardly over their covered bodies before reaching her lap and settling down. It barked once at Ayato in order to express its distaste of his existence.

"Oi. I have as much of a right to be here as you do. Don't give yourself too many airs."

His threatening towards the house pet made her smile. "Actually, the dog's right. I should have kicked you out the second you set foot in this room." Yuuki began to massage the creature's head and ears with soft strokes, attempting to ease it into a calm state.

"Yeah, whatever." Ayato grumbled before reaching out his own hand. Pochi growled. "How come it hates me? Freaking scared it'll bite my fingers off."

"She won't hurt you," the vampirette urged. "Go on."

The dog continued to emit hostile sounds until the moment when his hand almost touched its fur. It whimpered when the boy experimentally stroked the length of its back and remained silent the second time.

"See?" Yuuki whispered. "It's not so bad."

"It's warm," he responded in awe. His reaction made her giggle and she tried to pass the puppy onto his lap.

"Whoa, whoa. What are you doing?" Ayato suddenly protested.

She looked at him with wide, disappointed eyes. "You won't hold it?"

"Of course not. Are you crazy?"

Yuuki pouted. She continued lavishing attention to the dog, albeit half-heartedly.

"Hey, pancake." Ayato prodded once he noticed her downcast behavior. "What's wrong?"

"... I was thinking... If this was our child, would you be afraid to hold it?"

"What makes you think that I would be afraid to hold _a baby_?" Ayato gaped after he realized that she was seriously asking the question. It kind of blew his mind that she would hypothetically even have their child.

"Because you might be afraid that you'd break them." Yuuki replied, matter-of-factly. "And it would make me sad. Because their father never even held them."

Ayato couldn't remember a time when his father had held him. He doubted that the event had ever occurred at all.

Yuuki's vision blurred with tears when she guessed what kind of lonely thoughts had filled his mind. She thought she saw a shadow of one forming in his.

"Oh, my dearest. I'm _so_ sorry!" Yuuki gushed apologetically before embracing him.

The kiss was far more passionate than any they had shared before. It was like a fire had inexplicably ignited inside her. Suddenly, her tongue was in his mouth – or was it his in hers? Did it even matter? It was more than a simple physical fulfillment of lust- something had changed within them. For a moment, they shared the same emotion as if they were the only two who perfectly understood each other. The only one who could fill the empty hole within the other...

They broke apart when somebody had moved in error and the bandage on her neck ripped off.

"Ow. Oops, sorry." Yuuki mumbled after recovering from the sting. She looked up to see Ayato staring at her neck strangely.

"What, is there a really ugly scab?" She touched the area tentatively and felt nothing. "Or a scar maybe?"

"Yuuki... I think I've discovered your ability."

_Eh?_

For a long time, she had been wondering why she could not teleport like the others. They had told her that vampires may or may not have a special ability. Kanato, for example, could control fire among other things. Yuuki had tried in vain to find out whether she had one but never came up with anything substantial, other than the fact that she was a tad stronger along with a few heightened senses. So to finally learn that she actually did possess ability was an exciting discovery indeed.

"Really? What is it?" Yuuki asked anxiously. Ayato looked into her eyes sparkling with curiosity and grinned at her enthusiasm.

"You have the power to heal."

* * *

A/N: Fluffy chapter with new developments to set up the hated parental figure's arrival? Yes, please!

Note: Yuuki's new power only works if she's in the mental state to heal. Therefore, her poisoned bite only disappeared when she felt content in the presence of Ayato and Pochi and not all "I wanna kick your asses for being violent, dumb-asses!" *cough* Pardon my french ;)


	32. Banter at Breakfast

"So how come it's an ability?" Yuuki asked as they munched on waffles in the breakfast nook. There was some sort of a guilty, childish pleasure of eating them at night. "You weren't surprised when they disappeared in the infirmary."

"Vampires tend to recover quickly by human standards," Ayato responded somewhat indifferently.

"But you defeated your uncle with one stab, right? It wasn't even Subaru's knife."

"Ugh, let me eat in peace woman," Ayato grumbled. The girl let his complaining slide because she knew that he didn't like talking about Richter. Or any of the adults for that matter. Breaching the topic of the past was always a challenge, even though they had already had a long deep conversation about it once.

"I obviously used a special sword, though it's not made of pure silver or anything. Besides, he didn't die until Laito took care of him." He proceeded to take a large forkful and chewed the syrupy bite expressively.

"... Then you're only saying I have this so-called power because the area was poisoned?" Yuuki stated with a raised brow.

"Duh," the boy replied with his mouth full.

She crossed her arms and leaned back with a small frown. "I don't buy it, then."

"How come?" Ayato asked, mostly just to humor her.

"You sucked the poison out right after."

"There would still be some lingering effects, pancake. Normally it should have taken you a week to get better at best," he elaborated. "Vampire poison basically immobilizes your nerves among other things."

Yuuki shivered, and they ate quietly for a moment. "By the way, it's annoying how your calling me 'pancake' while devouring a waffle. They're practically relatives."

His deathly white fangs flashed as he smiled. "What's the matter? I was planning on eating you after this in the first place."

The pervert alarm in her brain shrieked a red-alert warning.

"I'm afraid that you'll have to cancel those plans." Kanato said as he entered the vampirette internally sighed with relief.

_You always have the most perfect timing, my friend._

"What's up?" Yuuki pretended to casually ask the purple-haired boy.

Kanato blinked, like he was recalling the reason for coming there. "Reiji told me to go dress you up today."

"Eh? What's the occasion?" They did play dress up often, but it's not like he was ever _ordered_ to help her get ready.

"Don't be so dense, pancake._ That_ man's coming in a few hours," Ayato explained and Yuuki scrunched up her nose.

_You mean that man whore of a father?_

"Why do I have to look pretty for _him_?"

Kanato face-palmed his younger triplet sighed.

"Seriously, Yuu-chan. He's 'The King'. Not to mention that you're literally his guest as well as his newest subject."

_Oh._ She hadn't considered the implications properly. _Maybe that's what Reiji was trying to tell me earlier at school..._

Ayato gently pinched her nose to catch her attention since she was spacing off.

"It would make life simpler if you make a good impression on him," he said once she glared at him in mild irritation.

"What do you mean?"

"That way nobody will object to us getting married, and my plan to become the new Vampire King will be sealed for success."

Kanato cackled with sudden amusement. "You? King? I'd like to see you try," he laughed while clutching his stomach. Ayato pricked at his brother's jeering.

"I can. And I will!"

"Hey, hold on." Yuuki interrupted before they could go off on a tangent. "I never agreed to marrying you yet!"

"_Yet_."

"Oh my gosh, Ayato. I-"

"- Can you two save this discussion for later, please? Yuu-chan needs to get ready."

The couple paused, one side feeling particularly foolish with her rant being ruthlessly cut off. "Alright. I'll be right upstairs," she conceded and Kanato disappeared promptly.

"We're not done here," the vampirette growled between her teeth before jabbing Ayato playfully with an elbow.

"Oh, hold on." Ayato said as she stood up.

"Mm?"

He wordlessly pulled her close and_ licked her face_.

"What are you doing?" Yuuki exclaimed, her face contorted with shock. "Like, seriously, bro?!" French-ing this morning never meant that he had the right to randomly_ lick_ her.

"You had this string of syrup on your chin," he offered.

"You could have just told me, you know." Yuuki mumbled as she wiped the offended chin with the back of her hand. It's not like his slobber sickened her, just that she was thrown off.

"Nah. Would ruin the fun," Ayato chuckled. Her expressions made his pranks all the more worth it. Yuuki stuck her tongue out at him for mocking her, which only seemed to amuse him further. The second she was gone, however, Ayato's face fell. He had been concealing the anxiety shifting in his gut behind a curtain of mirth.

Yuuki helped him forget his hate for his father, albeit momentarily. She was the charm that kept him sane.

"You didn't get it, pancake," Ayato mused to himself. He plucked a strawberry left on her plate and consumed it nonchalantly, while imagining how Karlheinz would try to ruin his life.

"... You can heal _any_ kind of scar."

* * *

A/N: Turns out that Yuuki has the ability to mend physical wounds as well as mental ones - Subaru's case, for example. Ayato must excessively pride himself for realizing it. And Kanato's just so done XP

I've been writing whenever I have a moment to spare (*cough* meaning when I should be trying to meet another deadline or finish another assignment). The chapter with Karlheinz's arrival was getting too long, so I decided to break it up to smaller scenes, and suddenly, this part became another drawn-out cliffhanger. That man was supposed to pop up in Chapter 32... Shmerr.


	33. The Arrival

"Yo. Ready?" Ayato asked as he entered her bedroom.

She was anything but. Yuuki was only wearing a set of undergarments and Kanato quickly blocked his view of her with an extravagant dress.

"What the hell?!" Ayato spluttered after a moment of general awkwardness.

"Whoa, whoa. Let's not get mad – we don't have time for it." Yuuki began, already trying to calm him down from a distance. She could already predict the rage that would follow.

"That's not what I meant! Why is he in here while you're all -" Ayato flushed and was unable to finish the sentence.

"You've all seen me in my nightgown before. It's not like this is any different." Yuuki bit her lip to hide her embarrassment. Ayato contemplated killing any else who saw her skin (namely, Kanato) or helping his girl out. Thankfully, he chose the latter.

"Alright," the red-head grumbled. "Go ahead – whatever." He shut the door behind him and started to make his way towards them without stumbling on the discarded articles of clothing. The room was practically a disaster zone and Ayato just happened to miss the hurricane. "What happened here?"

Kanato ignored the question. "How do you suppose Yuu-chan should look in front of our father?"

"Don't ask me - that's your expertise."

"He means that I have to look appropriate for the King as well as casual enough for home," Yuuki grimaced and pushed the gown aside. "And this is far too formal."

It was a dilemma indeed. Ayato scanned the wardrobe on the floor, and picked up something randomly. "Try it." Kanato moved aside and Yuuki took the blouse.

"Not a bad choice – I'm impressed," Kanato said. "But how do you plan to make the rest of her outfit?"

"I don't fucking know," the younger brother admitted.

The vampirette picked up a pair of shorts. "This?"

"No." Ayato immediately stated. His sudden confidence – or rather, conviction – surprised her.

"Why not?"_  
_

"I agree." Kanato intervened. "Nothing that shows too much leg."

Yuuki let out a quiet_ oh_~

"Here," Ayato said, handing her a pair of jeggings since it was more conservative. The vampirette put them on, but they all thought it was too laid-back.

Kanato gave her a full-length skirt. "Wear that on top." Yuuki obeyed. "Much better."

"Should I take the pants off?"

"No, just leave them. We only have five more minutes or so." Kanato stated before moving on to accessorizing tastefully. He left her hair alone.

"That's good enough." Ayato piped up after awhile. She was starting to look like she was going on a date.

"Thanks, Kanato. You can go now."

"I'll ask one of the maids to clean up," the boy said before leaving.

The vampirette examined herself in the mirror and seemed satisfied. "You seem a little calm, don't you?" Yuuki said to Ayato's reflection behind her.

"Eh?" He had been anything but calm.

The girl turned around to face him. "Don't forget why your father's coming home in the first place."

"Like I could, pancake." Ayato snorted. She frowned at his reaction and began to button his shirt up.

"You of all people should be the one trying to make a good impression." Yuuki scolded lightly.

"You have a problem with the way I look?"

"Of course not. But it doesn't help anyone to look like a delinquent today... Put your tie on properly."

"I don't know how." Ayato grumbled and Yuuki tried to hold back a giggle.

"No wonder," she muttered while fixing it for him. "At least unroll your pant leg by yourself."

He did so, but scowled when he saw his reflection in the mirror. "Look like a damned teacher's pet."

"My question is why you're wearing you're uniform when we don't even have school."

"I didn't wear my hoodie for a reason, smart one." Ayato said as he loosened his tie slightly and unfastened the top two buttons on his dress shirt.

_Aww, so you did try._ The vampirette smiled._ Wait, is this the only set of nice clothes you have?_ She thought a second later, remembering their day out together.

The male vampire looked up at her window sharply.

"What's wrong?" Yuuki asked.

"He's here..." He pushed the curtains aside, and the vampirette peered out.

"Is that a _carriage_?"

"Being flashy as usual." Ayato sneered. A man with long white hair got out of the coach, and she assumed that it was the dreaded father. She paid little attention to him, however.

Yuuki stared at the horses and noticed them... _shifting_. It was like one of those stickers that flickered between images when you looked at them at different angles. The vampirette thought hard before remembering that they were called lenticular prints.

"Do you see that?" Yuuki asked breathlessly.

"See what?"

"... Nevermind. Let's go down."

* * *

A/N: He's here! Ahhh! The dude is here. I don't know what to do with myself anymore. *cringes and hides in the corner of the room*


	34. Unwelcome

Ayato dislodged his arm from around Yuuki's waist after teleporting outdoors, much to her secret displeasure. The broken contact made her feel isolated all of a sudden but it wasn't like she was going to admit it. The boys were lined up according to their age. Not knowing what to do with herself, she stood Subaru as the family solemnly greeted Karlheinz.

The petite blonde peeked around the youngest vampire's shoulder in order to snatch a glance. She didn't really know what to expect. Most of the things she had heard about Karlheinz were filtered through the hatred of the six sons and she could care less about the sentiments of Cordelia and Richter. And now that the chance had arrived, Yuuki finally laid eyes on the man that had affected all of their lives without ever being present.

One look sated her curiosity. Karlheinz was definitely a king even though she always considered the royalty of the boys as dubious. She could see the resemblances with the boys, however. He was handsome and regal - far easier on the eyes than his younger brother. He had the same hair color as his third wife, and golden eyes that seemed to perceive more than their sensory function. Something about his manner told her to fear him and respect him. But respect was the last emotion Yuuki wanted to feel towards someone who's previous actions displayed complete neglect towards the well being of his family. She'd rather hate him with ever fiber in her being.

"-really quite disappointed in the two of you," she heard the father muttering to Shu and Reiji. The eldest pair regarded their father with cold civility and submission.

_None of this is their fault._ Yuuki thought internally as her mood soured. She tried to keep the sentiment from showing on her face.

The father's condescending eyes scanned the rest of the line briefly. He was about to address the main problem child, who was deliberately sporting a scowl, before noticing the girl hidden at the back.

"Eve!" Karlheinz exclaimed and his face broke into a smile.

_Who?_

"Komori Yuuki, Your Highness," the vampirette corrected as she curtsied – a skill from Reiji's crash course on how to be a lady.

Karlheinz waved his hand. "No need to be so formal, my dear. Well then... let's go inside, shall we?"

_What was that all about? _Yuuki wondered as they marched into the mansion. Her own father would not have left his beloved daughter under his friend's care without disclosing her identity, right? And surely there were more important concerns than herself, putting the obvious name-butchering aside.

She wasn't the only one worried about the visitor's sudden change in demeanor. The brothers protectively walked beside her, forming a semi-circle, and Ayato kept a possessive hand on her shoulder. Karlheinz noted their behavior silently as Reiji led them back indoors.

Yuuki's jaw dropped at the feast that waited for them in the dining room.

"You must be hungry from your journey, father." Shu stated with insincere hospitality. "Would you like some blood to refresh yourself?"

"No, thank you. I only drink from a live sacrifice."

_Ugh. Suddenly, food doesn't sound so appealing right now._ Yuuki thought, although she wasn't feeling very hungry in the first place. Too bad that it was too late to become a vegan.

Shu only nodded curtly. He hadn't expected the man to accept the offer in the first place... Their father was aware that their blood had been supplied through the hospital ever since their resident human had... _turned_.

The girl in question tugged Reiji's sleeve to get his attention. "Me and Ayato already ate a few minutes ago," she whispered.

"Just sit quietly then," he replied under his breath, and the eight settled down in their respective seats.

The vampirette expected the suffocating silence that would follow and found that it didn't really bother her. The only sad part about the affair was to see how disconnected they were. At least they weren't at each others' throats. She stared at the goblet of cranberry juice resting in her palm when Karlheinz spoke up.

"You are not eating much," he noted, startling the others. Laito, although not one to harbor violent tendencies, subdued an urge to punch his father in the face for stealing his line.

Yuuki shifted in her seat uncomfortably. "Um, I just don't have an appetite at the moment," the girl explained, but the man seemed adamant to continue pressing the issue.

"Shu, are you making sure our guest is getting fed properly?"

"Yes, sir." In fact, it was Reiji who had cooked the meal but nobody mentioned it. Shu didn't seem to like receiving the credit either; acting responsible and polite took a toll on him.

_So, I'm being fattened up now?_ Yuuki absently sipped the red liquid. _Sorry, but I'm not livestock anymore._

Karlheinz inquired about various topics concerning the household, but seemed indifferent to most of the responses he received from the boys. He already knew the major details before arriving since he received occasional reports from Shu and other... sources.

The vampirette could sense the concealed displeasure of the young men through little indications she doubted that others would catch. Shu seemed agitated out of his usually lazy self. Reiji looked upon his father with an icy demeanor that he hadn't even reserved for her when she had unknowingly stumbled into the household of predators. Honestly, the second son didn't even appear to be any different from normal - he always carried himself with a gentlemen-like air. The only difference was that he was now in the presence of someone with a higher station. So yes, someone less familiar with them would say that his expression was nothing out of the ordinary. But she knew better. She had carefully observed her hosts during the bulk of the months she had been left in their care.

Despite her familiarity with them, Yuuki was still somewhat surprised at their current behavior. The boys were quick to proclaim their abhorrence when Karlheinz was absent. Now, they seemed to be masking their collective loathing on purpose... with the exception of the rebellious Ayato. The red head was not going to bother concealing his frown. Laito's signature smirk was replaced with a thin, apathetic smile fit for a politician. Kanato looked a tad frightened and Subaru seemed fairly unreadable. The fact that they distrusted their father was evident but they remained painfully well behaved.

"How is the recovery for the wing?" Karlheinz asked.

"Complete, actually." Reiji answered, relieved that there was finally an accomplishment worth discussing. "Would you like to look around?"

Yuuki's interest was piqued. _Oh, I wasn't aware of this._

"After I deal with the business I'm here for." There was no need to explain further. The idea weighed down heavily upon the company.

"... Of course."

Yuuki seemed to be the only one to see Reiji visibly deflate and felt a pang of pity.

_Guess I won't be going sight-seeing anytime soon._

Karlheinz noticed the sparkle in her eyes disappear. "Komori-san, do you like horseback riding?"

She was getting tired with dealing with these out of the blue inquires. There were obviously others present who would prefer the attention.

"I never had much of a chance to ride, but I've never heard of a girl who isn't fascinated by horses." Yuuki answered diplomatically in hopes of shooting down the small talk.

"Then please join me for a trot. I would very much enjoy your company."

"Uhm, okay," she squeaked, feeling very foolish and awkward. Yuuki and the brothers shared a look of anxiety, but their concern further unsettled her.

_Wait... Alone?!_

* * *

A/N: The one challenge that I'm facing is writing about a character I know very little about. If y'all can give feedback, it would be much appreciated. I'll try to fix anything that strikes you as "Nope. That's definitely not something so-and-so would do..." or any other thorns that need to be removed and rough edges that need to be smoothed out.

I like how Yuuki relies on Reiji to know what she should be doing. And Karlheinz super-duper creepy here. He's totally not interested in anything other than "Eve" O_o


	35. Midnight Ride

"Are you coming or what, pancake?"

"Wait - right now? At this hour?!" The fact that she developed superior night vision after the Awakening did little to quell her surprise at the nocturnal proposal.

"Duh. When that guy wants you to do something, you better believe he wants it immediately."

_Sounds like someone I know._

"Erm, alright... Here, Kanato. Take my skirt."

Karlheinz had already gone out to prepare for their ride, leaving the boys to mumble amongst themselves.

"Should we follow her?" Subaru suggested as Ayato escorted Yuuki out of the dining room.

"And unnecessarily inflict that man's wrath? No way." Laito countered.

"Laito's right." Reiji added with a bitter edge. "Spying is a very bad habit indeed."

"But we can't just leave Yuu-chan alone with him."

"Yes, you can." Shu interrupted. "We have nothing better to do than wait."

"Where are you going?" Laito asked.

"Going to catch some Z's..." was the yawned response.

"Tsk. I would expect nothing less from him..." Reiji commented once the eldest brother headed off to his own room. Last time, Shu had been the one to leave Yuuki defenseless with their foul uncle.

"It's not like he isn't worried about her. Right, Teddy?"

"I wasn't planning on taking counsel from your dumb bear," the bespectacled vampire sneered before following suit.

Laito gave his younger triplet a sympathetic smile. "Don't take it personally, Kanato. He's worried too."

"I know... I guess I'll go put this skirt back in her room," the purple-haired boy announced, gesturing at the article that had been hastily handed to him.

Laito noted Subaru's frustration before deciding to retire himself.

"Hey Subaru, do me a favor. Make sure Ayato doesn't do anything stupid, will you? His brainlessness got us into this situation in the first place..."

* * *

Their attention-seeking brother had enough brains to know that he didn't have any power, and wasn't going to pretend otherwise. It didn't mean that he was the slightest bit pleased with the idea of lending Yuuki out.

"Don't drop your guard." Ayato warned as he led Yuuki by her wrist.

"You're being paranoid." Yuuki scoffed, although she did admit that Karlheinz's behavior was strange to say the least.

He stopped and whirled around to face her. "No. I'm not. You saw the way that bastard was chatting you up."

"You're father is _not_ Laito, thank you very much. Besides, he's just being hospitable."

"Oh, really? By isolating you from the pack?"

The vampirette rolled her eyes. "It's not like he's plotting to kill me."

"Yuuki..."

She sighed. Ayato was giving his I'm-so-done look. "I know. I'll be careful."

"Good." He turned his head to see Karlheinz leading two black horses towards them. The vampire's long, white hair shone in the moonlight against the pitch dark animals beside him.

"See!" Yuuki exclaimed once she spotted the group. "It's happening again!"

"What is?"

"They're moving!"

"Of course they are." Ayato scoffed.

"No no no. Look at the _horses_. They're like evaporating or something."

"Oh that. It's cuz they're Nightmares."

"Huh?"

"A Nightmare," Karlheinz began once he was close enough to join their conversation, "is a lesser known mythical creature – a demon of sorts."

One of the horses whinnied and nudged closer towards her. Yuuki reflexively took a step back, suddenly feeling very tiny.

"Go on," the man encouraged. "You can pet it."

"I'm not going to suffer from chronic insomnia or anything?"

"Don't worry. Bad dreams are quite unrelated," he chuckled. "This here's a gentle one."

Yuuki glanced at Ayato who nodded in consent. She reached out her hand and hesitated before placing her palm on the long nose of the smaller mare. A smokey black wisp swirled around her fingers before fading into the night.

"Oh," the girl gasped softly as she stroked the creature. "I thought my hand was going to go right through it."

"It's not that terrifying, is it?"

Yuuki laughed. "No, not at all. What's its name?"

"That one's Duchess. This is Prince."

Yuuki snickered even harder.

They let her pet the mare for a good minute before Karlheinz mounted his horse.

"Come, my dear. The night is short and there is much I wish to discuss."

Yuuki's smile faded. Delaying the (questionable) invitation any longer was not an option.

"You ready, pancake?"

"Yup."

Ayato helped her climb up into the saddle.

"Hey, I'm taller than you for once," Yuuki joked, smiling in spite of her anxiousness.

"Yeah, well you better get back down here in perfect condition," the vampire replied once Karlheinz had turned his steed around, too busy to listen to their parting words.

"I'll be fine," the girl insisted as she awkwardly picked up the reigns.

"Wait, you sure you know how to ride?" Ayato asked belatedly. "I mean, I can teach you if you don't."

_Aww, he's stalling for me_.

"You think I would've gotten on this thing if I didn't? Just because I said I didn't spend much time with horses doesn't mean I never learned." In order to demonstrate, she tugged on the rope to steer her mount towards the direction of Karlheinz.

"Okay, okay. You don't have to show off now," he pouted while pocketing his hands and moving out of the way. "Stay safe."

"Ayato."

"Hmm?"

"... No, never mind. See you later." Yuuki prodded the horse into an easy trot by kicking its sides.

Ayato didn't bother watching the woman he loved the most and the man he hated the most depart together.

"You're just going to let her go?" Subaru demanded once their figures were out of sight.

The red head glowered at him. "Not like I can do anything about it."

"Why are all of you like this, dammit?" Subaru retorted, his fangs bared. "The others aren't doing anything either!"

"I can't directly confront that man right now."

"Ha. And you're planning on becoming king? Pathetic... You can't even challenge our father."

Ayato clenched his fist, trying to restrain himself from the provocation.

"Shut up. There's a difference between biding my time and putting Yuuki in unnecessary danger."

"Whatever you say, oh sensible one." Subaru spat ironically before turning to go back inside.

"What are you getting all sassy for?" Ayato demanded after grabbing his younger brother's shoulder to hold him back.

"You're the one who's being half-assed about things."

"Huh?"

"Like Laito said – your brainlessness is what got Yuuki into this mess in the first place. Why the hell are you acting so meek just because _that _man's here?"

"It's not like I need to justify myself to you..."

"Yeah, wasn't expecting it." Subaru mumbled as he shook himself out of the boy's grip.

"But I'll tell you the reason I'm staying put for the moment anyway."

"Oh, and what's that?"

"Pancake wouldn't approve." Ayato deadpanned.

The younger vampire blinked twice. "That's it?"

Ayato sighed. Here was a vampire just as knuckle-headed as himself.

"I'm not proud of it, but I hit Yuuki once. Granted she slapped me before too."

"Probably deserved it."

"Probably did. Anyway, after this incident with those bitches and shit... Yuuki's seriously scared. Not of me, but that I'll become abusive or something." Ayato admitted a little sheepishly.

"Become? You've_ been_ abusive towards her since the day you've met her. In fact, we all have."

"Yeah, well, I'm not intending to remain an asshole for eternity."

"Just so you can keep her by your side."

"Not _just_," the boy denied. He ruffled his hair and seemed embarrassed to make eye contact. "Look, Subaru. To be honest, I need your help. I don't know what's going to happen to me, but you've done nothing wrong. Please look out for pancake for me when I can't."

Subaru gaped at his cocky brother's sudden display of vulnerability.

"Oh, but I should warn you – make eyes at my girl and you're dead."

The younger smirked. "How am I supposed to watch over her, then?" Subaru joked. "Just kidding – I hate to admit it, but you're stronger than me."

"Damn right I am." Ayato responded as they fist bumped.

Both vampires decided to return to their own rooms afterward. Ayato lay on a plush couch pondering over what had just occurred.

It was weird... This was the first time he'd opened up to one of his own relatives. And for some reason, he was okay with it.

"Maybe this is what pancake meant." Ayato muttered to himself. "_Nothing gets accomplished through violence_, huh?"

For once, it seemed like he had an ally – and it was all thanks to Yuuki.

"Watch out Karlheinz. You're about to face a force to be reckoned with..."

* * *

A/N: My gosh, it's been awhile since I've updated. I blame it on a mild writer's block (specific to this section - I'm getting too excited about things yet to come) and an incredibly busy week and a half. I rewrote a little bit of the last chapter as well, in case you haven't noticed.

So yeah, I've effectively delayed Karlheinz's conversation with our protagonist once again. I apologize for that as well. But I do like seeing the tension that still exists within the Sakamaki brothers, and how it's breaking down in some ways because they're really all on the same side when it comes to Yuuki. I might of said it before but I feel like the pairs that would get along well once they got over their animosity would be Shu and Reiji, Laito and Kanato, and lastly Ayato and Subaru. I'm going to try and focus on why I think these guys could understand each other in the near future. I especially need Subaru and Ayato to be on good terms or there might be some explosions bringing the house down (obviously due to some petty jealousy over our heroine). Lol.

As always, thanks for your support.


	36. Tête-à-tête

A chilly breeze stung Yuuki's nose, but the cold didn't seem to bother her. Besides, she was preoccupied with watching the scenery pass by, once again awed by the visual clarity with which she could appreciate the night. She had sometimes noticed the difference whenever the lights were turned off. Now, only the moon illuminated her surroundings and the full extent of the trait was revealed. Although she eventually accepted the change – a byproduct of being reborn as a nocturnal predator – she still felt somewhat robbed of her identity.

_Just think of it as wearing mega HD glasses, Yuuki. It's not like you see things like a cat now._ Ayato would have laughed at her. Probably also tease her with some snarky comment. _"Wow, your vision must have really sucked before. Glad I wasn't born human." _Yuuki could almost hear him say.

_Weird... I was just with that loser a second ago and I'm already thinking about him. _She shook her head like a wet puppy. _Not to mention that this entire situation is weird._

"Let's stop here." Karlheinz suggested when they reached the lake just as she began to wonder where they were headed. Yuuki hesitated before letting the man help her down. He didn't seem to notice and left the horses to graze freely before asking, "How was the ride?"

"I was alright. Duchess was gentle, like you said."

_That's an understatement. Was seriously doubting whether I was some sort of equestrian goddess or not._

Yuuki internally admitted that she simply had been acting saucy when rejecting Ayato's offer. Well, she hadn't been blatantly dishonest. She_ had_ indeed gotten on a horse before. Not much. Like twice in her life. But enough to know the basics.

_Enough to get majorly injured if anything had gone wrong._

The vampire in front of her smiled as if he could hear her thoughts. She wouldn't be caught off guard if he actually could.

"Yes, I know." Karlheinz replied to her previous comment. "Even a completely inexperienced person can ride a Nightmare. The challenge is taming one."

"Is that so?" Yuuki responded absently while fruitlessly trying to rub some warmth back into her cool skin, unintentionally sabotaging his attempt to start a conversation.

_Ohh. Makes sense. So I probably do need to brush up. _The girl felt a little betrayed by the revelation. _I guess Ayato really was stalling for me, that prick. He knew it all along, didn't he? Pretending to be all gentlemanly and attentive just so I'd graciously thank him once I pass with flying colors._

The offended Ayato in her brain objected against the slander. His equally disheartened father turned away as she mentally wrestled with the figment of her imagination.

Karlheinz silently scanned his vast property for a minute or two. She wondered why he seemed so bent on trying to talk with her, yet remained mute once the opportunity arose. Surely, he had more important things to chat about than their mode of transportation... Or, maybe not. What if Karlheinz was actually a hopelessly shy guy? The thought amused her – a spineless king would be pathetic indeed.

_Nah. _He seemed too stately and serious to be like that. His aura oozed confidence, wealth, _power_ – the very image of a ruler.

"Why are we here?" Yuuki finally piped up, tired of trying to make assumptions about someone she had literally just met.

"To get away from my sons, of course," he replied.

"Huh?" She wasn't expecting him to be so blunt about it.

"It's hard to feel at home when they treat me like a perfect stranger."

_No offense, but you sort of are._

"On the other hand, you, my dear, seem to have settled in quite nicely." Karlheinz mused. "They hold you in high regard."

She released a short bark of laughter. "Well, yeah. I had to work for it though. Can you imagine the kind of horrors I faced when-? Oops, sorry. I shouldn't complain..." Yuuki trailed off after realizing that she had reverted to casual speech.

"_Nice going, pancake."_

"No, no. Feel free to continue."

The girl blushed in embarrassment. "Uh, no, I was just-"

They went back and forth, trying to get the other to give in first. It was like a tug of war where neither party wanted to sacrifice their own thoughts.

Yuuki decided that didn't like it whenever Karlheinz used "my dear" – it felt both too formal and too intimate. She didn't blame him. The very nature of their acquaintance was just as unusual. It was neither strictly business nor personal, where the standard conventions of society could have helped ease them out of this unnecessary shyness. Their awkwardness may not have existed if...

Dare she think it?

If Karlheinz had been the one to greet Yuuki when she first arrived at his doorstep. No misunderstandings would have arisen and the boys may have left her alone if their detested father was present to monitor their actions. Ultimately, they _had _followed the explicit order to keep her alive, if not keep her out of harm's way. And really, the man didn't seem as bad as his children made him out to be - he had treated her with politeness after all. Sakamaki, the politician and philanthropist, would have humbly welcomed her as his guest, the child of his friend, and kept them all out of trouble.

Then it clicked.

Karlheinz never needed to "humble" himself. He was a _king_ among the vampires. Others were always humble towards him – not the other way around... Even his own family was distant. And here he was, trying to coax Yuuki to relax and open up. Had she never known about Tougo Sakamaki's hidden identity, Karlheinz might have been able to put up a friendly front with his human persona. Unfortunately, they were both painfully aware that she would not fall for it. And so, the facade of innocent conversation fell short, leaving them feeling woefully distant.

_No wonder. _Yuuki thought. How were they supposed to get anything out of the exchange if she kept refusing to break the ice?

"I insist, my dear. Speak your mind." Karlheinz ordered, not unkindly.

"I-"

And suddenly, it felt like she was meeting Richter all over again. The vampirette clamped her mouth shut and only risked opening it after a moment of indecision.

"I can't imagine why you've singled me out."

The man scoffed into the night. "Secrets are kept between those whom it concerns, no?"

"Secrets? I don't have any left to share," the girl stated half-ironically. Yuuki paused to scrutinize his reaction. "It wouldn't bother me if your sons were present. They seem to know more than I do about myself anyway."

"It is up to your discretion whether or not you relate our conversation afterward."

"So you're saying you have nothing to hide."

The adult looked at her with a mischevious twinkle in his eye. "There are only so many scandals you can be caught in within the span of a millennium or two."

_Millennium__?!_

Karlheinz chuckled. "You look surprised. I guess I don't exactly look my age."

"Is that how long vampires live?" Yuuki breathed once she recovered from her shock. He was as old as Jesus.

"Until someone bothers to get rid of them, unfortunately."

She perked up at the last word._ So we both don't like the idea of eternity._

"Oh yeah, Cordelia mentioned something about your wish..." Yuuki mumbled aloud before catching herself again.

"Ah, yes... my _wife_." Karlheinz grimaced, as if the mention of her sickened him. "I'm sorry that she and my brother caused you so much trouble."

"Urm, it's okay. It's all in the past so I'm not really bothered by it anymore." The girl squirmed uncomfortably. "How did you know?"

"I haven't turned a blind eye to my own household," the vampire chided. "I occasionally call and Shu reports back to me."

_Yea, I figured... Wait, we had a working PHONE?! And I did not discover it way back when because~?_ She face-palmed. Her life literally could be a damned Shakespeare play, and all the bored high school students and literature teachers alike would constantly point out specific moments where the heroine's doom could have been avoided.

"_Not bothered by it_, huh?" Karlheinz pointed out, chuckling heartily at the girl's display. "That doesn't seem to be the case at all."

Her hostility started to peel away.

"Truthfully, sir, I'm slightly haunted by everything that's happened." Yuuki confessed, cracking a wry smile.

"_Truthfully,_ you say, and yet you won't even tell me the questions you truly want to ask. What is it that's bothering you, child? Please don't waste my time on frivolous matters."

The girl nearly choked on her own saliva. _Caught._

"Uh, so – I, um..."

_Now's your chance, Yuuki! Don't waste it like a blubbering fool._

She cleared her throat. "I was never satisfied with the answers that Richter or the others gave me. Please, if you know, tell me the truth so that I can finally gain a peace of mind."

"Fair enough. What do you wish to hear about?"

Yuuki inhaled in relief and anticipation. Someone was finally willing to be frank with her. "My father..."

"Seiji has been doing fine ever since he's gone abroad. You need not worry about him."

"Thank you. I miss him."

The vampire nodded but remained silent. His expression was far too vague for her to interpret.

Yuuki pursed her lips. "What was his diary doing in the sealed room?"

"Oh, you found it?"

"Yes, the evening I had arrived, in fact. Inexplicably, the words disappeared the next time I opened it and now I can't find it anywhere."

There were still a few lapses in her memory of the time she was possessed. Thus, she couldn't recall the moment Richter destroyed the special belongings. The boys tried filling in certain details but the full account of the awakening remained incomplete.

"That's unfortunate. Seiji entrusted it to me when we arranged that you'd be staying with us."

"Why?"_ Why did he give something so personal to you and not me?_

"He's very affectionate of his only daughter and wrote extensively on the matter. I can only assume he shared it with me so that I would come to feel the same sort of protectiveness toward you. He probably meant to ensure that you would be well treated - an unnecessary precaution."

Yuuki flushed multiple shades of pink. _Oh Lord, how embarrassing! My dad is so pamper-happy! Does he really go around advertising it to everyone?_

"A-and the photograph?"

Karlheinz smiled. "He said that it was taken the first time he met you and treasured it deeply. I'm sorry to hear that it was misplaced; Seiji will be very disappointed."

Feeling ashamed at losing something so important, Yuuki attempted to shift the conversation. "My father would never knowingly send me to a household full of vampires to be preyed upon."

"Indeed. He worried excessively and only decided to leave you in my care after I repeatedly insisted that he need not fret. I've never seen him so anxious before in all the years we've known each other."

"... So my coming here wasn't a random coincidence?"

The Komori church had done a lot of good in their community so there were many who would have willingly looked after the priest's daughter. Yuuki oft wondered why she had been sent to a total stranger with the sole knowledge that he was a close friend of her father. Back then, she couldn't even have imagined that her father was remotely acquainted with_ the_ Tougo Sakamaki and she would come to live with them.

"Of course not." Karlheinz chuckled nervously. "This may come off as a tad creepy, but bear with me..."

Yuuki crossed her arms in mock authority. "I'm listening."

"I've been trying to get a hold of you for quite awhile now but Richter took measures to keep me at bay. You see, I have long been aware that Cordelia's heart was residing within you ever since my scheming brother found a suitable host."

A surprised outcry of gibberish fell out of her lips. Did he really let those two get away_ unscathed_, leaving the matter to be dealt with by his sons?

The man frowned slightly. "You wished for the facts."

"I did indeed." The vampirette restored her composure. "One last question then. If there is anything I don't know about Cordelia-"

"My dear, I'm not omniscient." Karlheinz interrupted. "I'm not aware of what you know or don't."

_Well, isn't that a relief._

"I've heard that she was the daughter of the Demon Lord."

"A good drinking buddy of mine."

"Wha?! You're friends with_ Lucifer_?" The unholiness of it made her cringe in horror. The idea of sharing blood with Satan never settled well with her either, but this guy was willing to_ break bread_ with the paragon of evil.

"Lucifer never had a child." Karlheinz corrected, seemingly ruffled at her apparent disgust nonetheless. "There's a distinction between mere demons and the devil himself. They are separate entities. That's like saying that fairies are elves. Quite insulting, really."

"Those exist too?"

"Only in your imagination."

She couldn't tell if he was teasing her or not.

"So, my blood..." Yuuki trailed off again. How in the world was she supposed to word questions with so much history behind them?

"Is a power bank for us vampires. Be well aware of this, my dear. You wield a double-edged sword."

The girl sighed. "I know. But what can I do other than be content? This is my lot in life."

"... I admit that I'm not entirely regretful either."

"Excuse me?" _Are you telling me that you're a-o-kay with my life being a sick joke?_

Scratch that. Her hostility was just taking a short breather.

He paused to kneel and took her hands in his. "I'm truly pleased to finally have you here at my estate for my own selfish reasons. And I sincerely apologize, because I'm to blame for all your sorrows. Please forgive me."

The vampirette gaped at the king looking up at her. What was that about humbling oneself? She couldn't even handle the irony anymore.

"No, wait, _I'm_ not the one you should be apologizing to!" Yuuki exclaimed, pulling away from him in shock.

He tilted his head in confusion.

"I don't blame you for what's happened to me. (Well, not directly, at least.) But, if I may be so bold, the sin you've committed is neglecting your own kin," the petite blonde continued frantically. "I really don't know much about parenting and I'm sure your excuses are all justified – but _really_, sir, I'm the one picking up the broken pieces. Was it that hard to show some affection and attention to your wives and your children? You've had _lifetimes _to perfect the art of relationships!"

Karlheinz was nearly rendered speechless. "I-"

"If anyone, you should be saying sorry_ to your own family!_"

_Did I just-?_

Karlheinz started to laugh at the girl's passionate rant. How many centuries had it been since he was last scolded?

"Why are you laughing at me? I'm being perfectly serious!" Yuuki protested in youthful indignation, but eventually started to giggle along with him despite herself. Why was mirth so contagious? She tried to strengthen her resolve by demanding that he control himself - it wasn't funny.

The vampire brushed his long hair out of his face. "You are perfectly right, Yuuki. I'm still at a loss to how I will make amends."

Her jaw dropped at the words. _No. Way. You're shitting me._

"For a start... Maybe sort out this business that you came to attend to." Yuuki suggested. Her mind was at a blank.

The vampire sighed as he stood up. "It's easy to deal with the death of a mortal, but things get complicated when one of _us_ are killed unlawfully."

"But neither is acceptable, of course." Yuuki's voice wavered, but she kept a stiff upper lip. Or at least tried to.

Her heart was torn when it came to the boys. It would be ludicrous to try to avoid punishment, but she wanted to be the first to know their fate so she could... _Protect them? Fall with them?_ Or more preferably, intervene on their behalf.

Karlheinz shrugged, comfortable to let his almighty disguise drop. "It may be a bother, but it's certainly not a headache. Some lip service here and there, a little blood money, and everything will be settled. It's a shame that my children can't even handle such a matter by themselves."

"You- What?!" Yuuki gasped at his perceived indifference. He literally came up with the same course of action as the boys. Far from blaming his mislead sons' actions on his absence, he could very well be the head of a Yakuza clan or something.

"You're not sending a letter to the school _addressing your child's delinquent behavior here_. We're talking about a murder case!"

"Yes. I'm well aware."

"And yet you, UGH!" The vampirette covered her face. "You're all crazy! What happens if you let them get away with it? They won't learn anything. Discipline, sir! I thought you were going to inflict discipline! And, what the hell? Why am _I _the one insisting that they need to be punished?"

"Why _are_ you insisting that they need to be punished? I was under the impression that they were protecting_ you_."

"So?"

"Their behavior is justified?" Karlheinz replied sheepishly feeling like she wouldn't accept the claim. Which she didn't.

"How in the world is it_ justified_? Weren't you the one who sent Shu to the NORTH POLE just because he was too lazy to graduate?"

"Ah, but that is a flaw in his character. He was solely responsible for his dishonor. Here, your attackers had deliberately provoked enmity with our household. They are very different cases altogether," the vampire explained. "If it's hard for you to swallow, think of it like this; the crown has the power to execute any traitors who mean harm to the royal family."

Yuuki scowled. "I guess this is another case were the influential get away with their crimes. Alright, I see. It happens all the time so I shouldn't be so surprised... But your reasoning still doesn't work in a fair court. Lilith and her gang never hurt any of your precious princes – they targeted me. I just happen to be a friend left in their care."

"Eh? Weren't you engaged to Ayato?"

_Haaaaah? _The vampirette blushed profusely.

"Wh-where did you hear that?" Yuuki stuttered.

"Either way, I owe it to Seiji to protect you in any way possible as your temporary guardian."

"That's not-"

"No need to fret, my dear. I don't disapprove of your relationship," he said reassuringly, which only stressed her out further. He whistled to the Nightmares.

"Wait! You've got it all wrong!"_ I think I might die._

"I have?" Karlheinz inquired as he stroked a smokey mane. He was quite sure that the two teenagers shared a particularly strong attachment from what he had seen so far. "You have to do a better job of hiding your affection if you wished to keep it a secret from me."

"It's not that, sir. Um, what I meant is that we – uh – haven't gotten that far. I'm not ready for that stage yet." _Ah, how embarrassing. I might pass out from the shame._

"But you do not deny it otherwise?"

"... No."

"Therefore, you have enough ties to our family for it to be upheld by the law. Or the law in your own definition." Karlheinz outstretched a hand to help her get back on the horse. She accepted the boost.

"Hold on. You can't just make a decision based on that."

"I _can_ but I won't. There's another witness I need to talk to."

"The girl I took in?" Yuuki asked once she settled upon Duchess.

"Precisely. Let us go, my dear. There are only a few more hours before dawn is upon us."

* * *

A/N: So here's the bulky chapter that you've been patiently waiting for. Unfortunately, it hasn't done itself any favors. There are so many things that I'm not a 100% happy with but I've been delaying for so long that I just decided to screw it, and hopefully your comments might help me patch some things up. I also want to spend some time revising all the chapters that have been published so far and bring everything up to a higher level of consistency and quality.

Yuuki's so exasperated in this chapter that I'm sort of worried about her mental health, lawl. Now she has two internal voices nagging her – her logical side and her imaginary friend, Ayato. Just so we're clear, Ayato does not have telepathic abilities or anything. She's just made this figure up to react in ways that she'd expect her real-life boyfriend to when he's not present. I'm honestly having a hard time grasping Karlheinz's character. Will he actually let this matter slide? I guess we'll just have to see about it.

Was it a hit or a miss? There's a lot going on within this conversation: Yuuki warming up to someone she has little reason to like, finally getting confirmation on things that have been bothering her for a long time, and addressing the stupid plot points. Thankfully, we can move on to more interesting developments.

_Note to previous readers:_ this chapter has been extensively revised as of 1/21/2015 as explained in the author's note of the second chapter of "Revised"


	37. Shadows of the Past

Yuuki entered the house alone and headed towards her room for a short respite. Someone tapped her shoulder and, when she turned her head to look, poked her cheek.

"What took you so long, pancake?" Ayato grumbled as he gently dug his index finger further.

"Oh, it's just you." Yuuki replied with a smile. "And it's not like I'm under curfew. You should know better than to expect the world to run on Ayato Standard Time."

Ignoring her verbal jab, he asked, "Where's _that_ guy?"

"He went to put the mares away. I never knew you had a stable here."

The vampire grunted in reply and continued poking her face multiple times just for the heck of it.

"Will you stop that!?" Yuuki complained as she entered the bedroom. Pochi was snoozing deeply.

"Well, _you_ seem chipper."

She whirled around and pinched both sides of his cheeks. "You overconfident, little rich boy." Yuuki sneered playfully, tugging his face from side to side.

"Ow, whatter you doing, 'hanc'ke." Ayato protested, putting his hands on top of hers.

"Hmm..." Yuuki stared at him with appraising eyes. How had she described his father... Confident, wealthy and powerful? "Yup, I see the resemblance. You'll do."

The boy pried her fingers off and she placed them on his shoulders instead. "Care to elaborate?"

"Well, if _that _guy is supposed to be your king – then I guess a rascal like you could be one. If you brush up, that is."

He wrapped his arms around her. "Should I take that as a compliment?"

"Nope!" Yuuki giggled in reply. "But Karlheinz wasn't as bad as I was expecting him to be," the girl continued dismissively. "Y'all made him seem like the plague. It wasn't that much of a national emergency, now was it?"

"It's not my fault if you can't recognize a sheep in wolf's clothing."

"You mean a wolf in sheep's clothing," the vampirette corrected.

"Whatever." Ayato mumbled into the crook of her neck. At least she was safe and in one piece. Not that he would admit his relief at seeing her unharmed.

"Ayato."

"Yea, pancake?"

"Do you really hate your father that much?"

"I don't_ hate_ him. I just avoided him as much as possible since as long as I can remember."

"Why?"

The vampire pulled back just enough to study her expression. "Why do you care?"

Yuuki shrugged. "Just curious."

"It's not like I hold a grudge because of any one reason – I'm not _that_ critical. 'Sides, there's a lot of history behind it."

"Then tell me a story."

The boy thought for a moment. "So there was this one time when Karlheinz sent_ that_ woman some flowers-"

"- Your mom?"

"Yeah, her. I knew the meaning behind the flowers, so I tried to get rid of them before she saw. This was back when I was really little, by the way. I thought she would be brokenhearted but apparently she didn't know. Well, she caught me in the act and punished me."

"What did they mean?"

"... Hatred."

"Oh," the girl gasped. "I'm sorry."

Ayato raised an eyebrow. "For what?"

"You shouldn't have seen that. That's horrible."

"It's not like I really care now."

"Why would he marry someone he didn't even love?" Yuuki asked sometime after she noticed that they had unknowingly started to slow dance without any music.

"Psh, as if_ I_ know. Her wealth maybe? Connections? Anyway, she's a hypocritical slut who wanted the world to bow down to her."

"Hypocritical?"

"You know her – she abused everyone around her for her own benefit. And yet, that bitch wanted everyone to love her unconditionally."

Yuuki chuckled. "Well, she's not the only one I know that wants to monopolize everybody's attention." She pecked him on the lips. "Weren't we talking about your father?"

"I'll kill him too if it comes to it."

The vampirette flinched. "But you just said that you don't hate him."

"I don't. He's in the way of my ambition."

"Oh, Ayato. What are you talking about?" She stopped moving and stared at him anxiously. The last thing she wanted was more unnecessary death. "If you're worried about me, don't be. Karlheinz said that he doesn't oppose our being together. Isn't that enough?"

"When did he say that?"

"Ah, we were talking about a lot of things and it just came up." Yuuki responded while blushing at the memory. She refused to meet his gaze directly.

It was almost criminal to be that cute. Ayato brushed a strand of her hair back into place. "... Do you know why I chose you?"

She shook her head gently.

"It's because you are the best."

The vampirette moved away from his embrace. "And you're probably going to say something like you deserve only the best. I get it, Ayato. But listen carefully – don't make the same mistakes your parents did. If you want to take the throne then fine, I don't care. Good for you. I've said it before and I'll say it again; I will only agree to be yours and yours alone when I know for sure that it's because you love_ me_ and not just my blood. Your issues with your family are _your_ problem, and you are not going to drag _us_ down with them." Yuuki stated coldly.

"That's not like you, pancake." Ayato commented with a frown. Yuuki was always the one who cared too much for her own good. This declaration sounded nothing like her.

"Don't worry. I'm only warning you because I don't want us to repeat the past. I would've abandoned you long ago if I wasn't willing to face these challenges together. We're a team, right?"

He relaxed at her reassurance. "So basically, you're saying that you couldn't live without me."

"So basically, I'm saying that you don't have to be Mr. Number One, Ayato. Cordelia might have pressured you to be the best, but I don't expect that from you. The fact that you're a misbehaving, reckless, egotistical, cocky hot-shot who's totally clueless about life makes no difference to me. I'll accept all your imperfections."

"What imperfections?" Ayato joked. "And who said that I was _trying_ to be the best? I was born this way."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever you say. More importantly, where's Laito? I want him to take me that girl, what's-her-face."

"Tsk, as if I'll let him." Truthfully, he didn't feel all that threatened by Yuuki's interactions with his brothers. "You're not going out of my sight again."

_Meaning that you don't want to be left all alone again._

Yuuki sighed. "You really don't have to ask in such a roundabout way - you can tag along if you want."

"Tag along? That's not my style, pancake," the boy said, winking at her. "I'd rather take you there myself."

"Haha. If that's the case, lead the way."

"You forgot the _please_."

_This coming from you of all people._

The girl shook her head in exaggerated disbelief. "Please, Oh_ Well-Mannered and Generous Soul_. I am ever in your favor." She curtsied to add to the theatrics.

She closed her eyes and Ayato took her outstretched hand with a chuckle. When she opened them, Yuuki found herself standing in front of a tower.

"Oh my," the vampirette whispered, vaguely recognizing the general location. She squeezed Ayato's hand. "This is where they're keeping her?"

* * *

A/N: I love how Ayato opens up to Yuuki and how he tells her the story about the flowers, which is canon by the way. I also like Yuuki's resilience in wanting to do things the right way for the right reasons.

Ayato's way too dense. He loves her for grounds he can't even articulate, believing it to stem from his ambition since Cordelia has really messed with his perception of what love truly is. I'm sure Yuuki understands this to be the case and thus forgives it and continues to stick by him, despite feeling a little insulted and objectified. Externally, she challenges his desire to be the best in order to let him realize it for himself. Basically, planting a doubt in his head so that the concept will be born out of his own mind. Yuuki knows that Ayato won't change for the better if she states this idea directly. Sure, he might try to understand, but ultimately the feeling has to come from within him.

Anyway, I'll leave you to speculate in bliss.


	38. Conflicting Intentions

Laito bumped into the couple as Karlheinz interrogated the young girl inside the tower chamber.

"Can we go in?" Yuuki inquired.

"Sure. He's almost done asking questions," the older brother said as he tipped his signature fedora, hiding his humiliation with a smile. The visiting father quickly discovered that Nakusa had not been fed since she had been locked up, and the eldest triplet had been thoroughly reprimanded for neglecting it.

Yuuki took a deep breath to steel her nerves before stepping into the tower.

_Face it head on, girl._

"Oh, it's changed inside." Yuuki noted after climbing the flight of stairs. Behind the iron bars was a simply furnished bedroom, nearly bare compared to her memory of Subaru's mother.

"Changed?" Ayato asked.

"Yeah. Did you guys move Christa's stuff after she died?"

The boy belatedly remembered that Yuuki once claimed to have experienced visions around the time of the awakening. "Nah, pancake, you've got it all wrong. She used to stay in the other tower."

"Oh. I shouldn't of assumed that there was only one, I guess."

_Well, that was anticlimactic. _Yuuki thought to herself. She was tensing up for nothing.

Karlheinz had his back towards them as he stood facing the prisoner, who was sitting on her bed. Beside her was a tray with a bowl of soup licked clean, with only a few bread crumbs left on the plate to indicate the meal's former existence.

"Ah. Yuuki, Ayato. Come in." Karlheinz said when he noticed their presence. Nakusa's one teary eye widened with fear at the sight of them and she shrunk into herself. The older vampire gestured at the part-nephilim. "I've heard about this young lady's situation and I don't mind leaving her under your care, my dear."

_Eh?_

"It seems my sons came up with a fair decision for once. I can take care of the necessary arrangements."

"Why?" Ayato asked in Yuuki's stead, since she seemed a little too startled to respond. The vampirette was wondering why Karlheinz even bothered to intervene if he wasn't planning on rectifying the products of their poor judgment – and further calling it _fair_. Was this how the boys got away with murdering their own mothers?

"Why don't you ask her yourself?" Karlheinz suggested, moving away to the side. He preferred remaining an observer.

Yuuki peered at the dark-skinned nephilim. She felt something akin to anger before it was replaced with a deep sadness. The girl's huddled, vulnerable posture somehow piqued her sympathy. Her logical side told her that it wasn't worth letting her emotions getting the better of her – the attacker deserved no pity from the victim. Nonetheless, the vampirette let go of Ayato's sleeve and slowly walked over to the bedside.

"Hey." Yuuki greeted softly as she crouched, resting her weight on her toes with her elbows perched upon her knees. "I never got your name."

The girl's gaze fled towards Karlheinz, whose impassive face gave her no encouragement nor reproach. "Nakusa," she eventually croaked.

"Naku? As in _to cry_?" Yuuki asked, drawing the character in the air with her finger. It was a fitting name.

The girl shook her head and stuttered, "No, it's an Indian word."

"Indian? Cool," the vampirette said, attempting to be friendly. "What does it mean?"

Nakusa stared at the other female for a moment. These weren't the kind of questions she was expecting. After all she and her former companions had done to Yuuki, she expected _some_ harshness in Yuuki's behavior. It scared her. What was the girl plotting behind her casual expression? But despite her doubts about the vampirette's true intentions, she knew better than to remain silent.

"Unwanted. My mother named me that when my father told her that he was a nephilim's son."

_Ah, that explains her outburst earlier._

"That must have been a shock for her..." Yuuki murmured in sweet, hushed tone. It was the kind of voice teachers used to soothe agitated kindergartners. The kind of voice a pesky therapist might adopt.

"Why do you care?" Nakusa sneered once she realized that the vampirette meant no immediate harm. "It's none of your business."

Yuuki was taken aback by the bitterness in the girl's voice.

"You're not in any position to talk to her like that." Ayato growled from the wall he leaned on. "Don't make me regret keeping you alive."

"Hush, child." Karlheinz commanded, watching the pair of girls intently.

"Don't threaten her, Ayato." Yuuki gently chided although he had already fallen silent. She turned back to the prisoner. "I don't want to harm her."

_I simply used the wrong approach._ She wasn't talking to Subaru here, but a battered mutt licking its fresh wounds. The former had time to repent and brood and despair. The latter didn't have that luxury.

"Why not?" Nakusa challenged once again. "We did terrible things to you."

"And we did terrible things to you," the vampirette responded sadly, refusing to be provoked. "I'm sorry about your friends."

"We weren't friends."

"Then what were they to you?"

"I don't know. Fakes. Allies? Enemies? I hung out with them but hated every minute."

Biting her lip, Yuuki stopped rocking back and forth and shifted her balance to her heels. "Why would you stick with them if you hated them?"

"Insurance, mainly. But Lilith's gone now." Nakusa's expression hardened with anger. "Defying her is the one time I stood up for myself. Big help that was. Now I'm stuck here."

"Insurance?"

"Damn, you're nosy." Nakusa mumbled, wiping away the left over streaks of salt water on her face. "My dad brought me here to Japan and _left_ me in Lilith's family's care before disappearing. Abandoned me, is more like it... You see these?" She pulled back her chocolate brown locks to reveal scars on her tan neck.

"Fangs." Yuuki breathed, instinctively reaching for the area where her own wounds used to be.

"Lilith's responsible for them. Oh, and Arachnae when she couldn't find any prey. You always looked so..._ unfortunate_ when nobody was looking. It pissed me off. Hah. I've been a meal _for years_ and I'm supposed to be grateful that I've been handed off to another vampire?" Nakusa shook her head before actually addressing Yuuki. "You don't have the right to complain - acting so chummy with the Sakamaki's after a few months of being their snack. Arachnae said that you weren't even a human anymore. Why did _you_ have to be the one to turn?"

"So there's you're personal vendetta against me. Thank you for explaining it so fully." Yuuki replied with a hint of sarcasm.

Nakusa felt like she would earn a slap for her next biting remark.

"Oh, this is nothing. Lilith, on the other hand... She was in love with a certain red head and wanted to crush the little cockroach who stole him away from her. And of course her buddies decided to join in the fun."

Time stopped in the chamber.

"Ahh~ What a relief." Yuuki sighed as she got up and stretched. The other three gawked at her apparent lack of displeasure. "I could let that night at the bathroom traumatize me forever, but I'm not going to be depressed over such a shallow motive."

Ignoring Karlheinz, the blonde peeled the_ certain red head_ off from his wall and placed a hand between his shoulder blades. Ayato uncrossed his arms in surprise, but smoothly followed her lead so that they were holding each other.

"It looks like this really_ is_ all your fault." Yuuki joked before facing the prisoner once again. "This is the easiest way to get revenge on Lady Jumbo Tits. Excuse my french. As for you... I will make a proposition."

Although Nakusa maintained eye-contact, her gaze darkened.

"You may have your freedom as long as you agree to leave me out of your hatred. A destructive feeling, that is," the vampirette added while nodding sagely.

Ayato looked at her sharply. "Pancake, don't tell me you've forgotten-"

"I haven't. But now your dad's here so whatever we said in the morning doesn't matter anymore. Am I supposed to offer her my protection even if she doesn't deserve it?" Yuuki pouted, sounding more selfish than she intended to. "I just don't want to be near anything that reminds me of what happened... Unless..."

She dropped her hand and deliberately walked back to firmly clasp the prisoner's shoulders.

"Nakusa, I will put everything behind me if you remain loyal to me."

"I-"

"- Oh, and I don't mean that horrid relationship you had with those girls." Yuuki interrupted. "If you are willing to become a genuine friend of mine, then forgetting the nasty comments you've made is a small matter."

"I don't understand." Nakusa stammered, utterly confused by Yuuki's smile.

"Don't forget," the vampirette whispered, "I also know what it's like to be alone. Why make an enemy out of the one person who understands you?"

"You don't understand me." The part-nephilim tried to shimmy out of Yuuki's grip, but the vampirette trapped her in a hug.

"You're right." Yuuki agreed. "You've had it worse than me. But you're the only one who survived. Doesn't that count for something?"

Nakusa paused. "That doesn't explain why you want to be my friend all of a sudden."

"Pancake makes it her business to try and be nice to everyone she meets. Get used to it – despite what she says, you're not getting out of this tower."

"Unless she agrees to my deal." Yuuki stated, letting go of Nakusa to silently glare at both Ayato and Karlheinz, as if challenging them to deny her claim. "I was brought to this home against my will once. I'm definitely not going to let that happen to another girl without doing something about it."

Nakusa tugged Yuuki's shirt, her ears flushed with a deep wine color. "You're really stupid. Even if I say I'll do it, I would probably be faking it."

"That's why I specified _loyalty_. If you're willing to forget the past and move on, then the feeling is mutual. If not..." Yuuki's eyes narrowed and her grin faded. "I have no further business with you. You can rot in here for all I care."

* * *

A/N: Hey guys! I just wanted to let you know that I'll be participating in Nanowrimo this year so I won't update for a month. I know, I know, it's a long time. But I'll be back in December =)

Yuuki's totally experiencing mood swings here. On one hand, she wants to help Nakusa out and therefore let the negativity blow over, on the other hand, she wants to destroy everything keeping her away from happiness. I feel like forgiveness will win out in the end because pancake is such an idealist. Normally, people run away from bullies but Yuuki tries to face them head on smh.

Is it wrong to make the one dark-skinned character in this story clearly below the others in social status? I just realized it's sort of racist, although it's totally unintended. Let me know if you want her to be a good person or not... Hope you're wondering why Papa Sakamaki's creeping around for – he literally did nothing except "observe" and tell Ayato to shut his beautiful face.


	39. Clarification and Confidence

"Ayato, you idiot. Have you forgotten that _your father's home_?" Yuuki whispered harshly after she rolled over to find him laying beside her again. Pochi was nowhere to be seen.

"You said that he didn't mind."

"Yes, but-" An unexpected clap of thunder made her jump.

"And why does it even matter? It's not like I'm going to change for that man," the young man yawned expansively. His fangs made him resemble a drowsy lion.

"Yup. Definitely an idiot." She frowned at the rain pelting her windows. "It may not affect you, but it's ruining my reputation. Not sure if you got the memo, but our couple behavior is already insufferable as it is."

Ayato raised an impish eyebrow. "Woke up on the wrong side of the bed?"

"Quite..."

Despite her earlier protests, Yuuki buried her head into Ayato's shirt and used her freed pillow to try to cancel out the noisy onslaught of the weather. The amused vampire didn't seem to really mind.

"My hearing has gotten more sensitive, hasn't it? It hurts every time there's a bolt of lightning."

"You hated it before, too."

Back when she was still a human, she used to be terrified of lightning and of course Ayato had thought that it was _hilarious_ when he found out. The prankster used the opportunity to make her chase after him in the dark until she began to cry. It was honestly quite traumatizing. Pleased at her dependency on him, Ayato finally caught her after she tripped for the umpteenth time before taking a few more liberties to humiliate her. Annoyed at being abused so blatantly, Yuuki swore never to be frightened of the soul-shaking flashes and crashes ever again.

"At least you're not teasing me about it anymore," the petite blonde mumbled. "I can't believe I ever trusted you when you're such a meanie. You're downright wicked, you know."

"At least," the boy repeated, "I'm honest about my wickedness."

Yuuki slowly lowered her pillow. His words reminded her of the previous night...

* * *

The atmosphere within the tower immediately chilled with suspense. Even the petite blonde froze once she realized what she had just uttered, taken aback by her own threat. The ultimatum had slipped through before Yuuki could think about.

_Well then, me... You done screwed it up now._

The three vampires were further astonished when their prisoner broke the silence with peals of laughter.

"You're finally being honest with yourself," the part nephilim had cackled, her chocolate bangs shaking. Yuuki had tried to deny it by quickly stammering that she'd rather that they were friends than enemies but the others interrupted her. They pointed out the discrepancy between her declarations leaving Yuuki dumbfounded. Anything she tried to assert afterward was left unheard and unnoticed.

Eventually, Karlheinz decided to regain control of the situation and the teenagers hushed their bickering.

"It's apparent that the young miss wishes to resolve this peacefully if possible. I will honor that desire, but I don't think it's wise to assume that you're _friends_ just because you've agreed to it under these circumstances, no?" His expression hardened with authority. "Nakusa, after our lengthy discussion, I find you and your former companions_ guilty_ of harassing and harming my special guest." Karlheinz declared. "However, I accept your former mistress' offer and therefore pardon your collective offenses toward my household. You'll remain in this tower unless Yuuki desires your company, but in no circumstance are you allowed to leave this property."

"Isn't-" Yuuki began before the elder cut her off with a dismissive hand.

"I will take care of any further negotiations with the school along with Lady Lilith's and the Black Widow's respective families. This settles the business of Nakusa's situation, I'm sure."

"What about Ayato?"

Karlheinz gave a side-long glance toward his wayward son. "I will address that later once I have properly assessed the damage he has caused. In the meanwhile, I'll remain at the estate to supervise."

It was clear that the father's decision was not up for further debate. Yuuki warily eyed Nakusa and Ayato. In some odd twist of fate, they seemed far more composed than she felt. Wasn't she the one who was supposed to call the shots? Not that she was complaining. In fact, it was relieving to have the final say off of her shoulders.

"Now, unless you wish to watch the sunrise, it's time for you kids to head off to bed."

* * *

"Earth to pancake," Ayato called out and the girl snapped back to attention. "Oh, hey. You're back from Planet Delusional, where imagination runs rampant."

Yuuki pouted. "It's funny because you probably would call me delusional if you knew what I was thinking about."

"About what?"

The vampirette sighed. She sat up against the headboard and plopped her pillow onto her lap.

"Do you really think it's impossible for me to get along with Nakusa?"

Ayato snorted. "Duh."

"How come?"

"First of all, I don't understand why you'd want to _get along_ with her in the first place. She's obviously all sorts of negative."

"As are you." Yuuki jokingly retorted. "And I don't have to justify my motives to the world."

"Well, at least try to make sense to her." Ayato muttered as he raised himself up as well. "Nakusa hit the bulls-eye when she called you out on your bull shit."

"That's disappointing. I'd hoped you would be on my side."

"I _am_ on your side." He shook his head. "Honestly though, it's not like I can read your mind."

_Isn't that a relief._

Yuuki looked at him with a hint of mirth before returning to the subject at hand. "I guess I see a little part of myself in her, you know? Did you notice? She was like a cornered mouse when we entered to tower -"

"That's probably my fault." Ayato interjected, to which Yuuki gave a slight nod before continuing. He was glad that the vampirette hadn't seen him on his rampage. The blonde would've fainted on the spot.

"Then Nakusa started to get sassier as we went on talking and I felt like she had more spunk than I gave her credit for. I mean, her words stung – I'm not denying that. But I can see why she's so cynical. She's been rejected by her mother, abandoned by her father, and then forced to submit to a vampire with bad taste. And she's most likely a Half since her dad brought her back to Japan, so there's a chance that she's been isolated by others outside of Lilith's circle. I don't think she's experienced an ounce of love in her entire life."

"So?"

"_So _I think that's why I'm lucky in comparison. Nakusa has nephilim blood in her, and turns out I have demon blood in me. My real parents died when I was little but at least my adoptive father pampered me all my life and I still love him. Then I met you guys. Sure, it was hard at first but it might've one of the best things that have ever happened to me. Sounds weird, doesn't it? But I feel really, really blessed to have gotten to know you and your brothers. It could've been way worse but I'm content here." Yuuki took a breath. "See? We had pretty tragic pasts but look how different it turned out for the both of us."

The vampire whistled. "You have way too much free-time, pancake, if you thought about a~ll that."

Internally, Ayato half-agreed with her analysis. He too had seen a resemblance between them, however slight.

"No, just trying to see things from her perspective." Yuuki stated, seeming a little downcast at his comment. "Although, I wish I thought about it sooner," the girl mused absently.

"Why?"

"You saw what a disaster last night was. I couldn't articulate anything properly and I just felt really confused about my own feelings."

Ayato tapped his head in a comical fashion. "Hmm... It's because you weren't prepared, Yuuki."

"Eh?"

"Ugh, making me explain..." The boy loosely ran his fingers through his bed-head. "Basically, you're an airhead. It's my fault for not realizing it sooner." He glanced apologetically at her. "We shouldn't have given you such a huge responsibility to bear when you have no experience whatsoever. You didn't consider the fact that you hate Nakusa since you try to cover it up with your dumb sense of justice and morals. Obviously, your attempt to be friendly didn't work, because frankly, it never does. And in the end, it's all a huge mess."

The vampirette finally understood what had gone wrong. She should have waited before meeting Nakusa to sort out her feelings. Her own lack of foresight exasperated the situation. She only felt confident in herself now that she had properly slept on it and found a sympathetic ear.

Yuuki tried and failed to hide a smirk. _How is this moron totally right?_

"Yeah, yeah. You got me..." She didn't want to admit that there was truth to his harsh summary, so she downplayed the fact that he had seen right through her. "So how do you think I should approach Nakusa?"

"I dunno," the boy responded, throwing his hands up in the air before shuffling off the mattress. "Figure that out yourself. I've already given more solid advice in one breath than you'd find in a tabloid magazine."

"Thanks anyway. The world's probably about to end if you've suddenly become my voice of reason." Yuuki chuckled.

The fact that their conversations were becoming more and more frequent pleased her. It meant that they trusted each other's opinions. She thought back to her first night as a new-born vampire and remembered that Ayato had refused to tell her the facts behind the awakening. How much prodding had been taken before they had finally sat down and discussed it without reserve? Far too much. After that particular conversation, there was a silent agreement between them to leave the subject to rest. Now, she felt like the past had returned to haunt her and it was forcing her to deal with the ghosts once and for all. Yuuki was going to make peace with Nakusa no matter how stubbornly the part-nephilim opposed her. Of this, the vampirette was certain.

"Where are you going?" Yuuki asked the male who headed for the door.

"Going to find your damned dog. Shu took it out for a walk earlier and hasn't come back for hours."

"He was up during the day?" The behavior was quite unlike the eldest brother.

"Said he couldn't sleep or something. Besides, it's pouring outside so they should've been indoors by now."

"Alright, you go ahead. I guess it's time for me to get up too."

* * *

A/N: Hey, everyone! It's nice to be back after a month-long absence. The break has given me a lot of time to think. I've been_ dreaming_ about these scenes and although I wasn't able to finish Nanowrimo this year, I have two brand new story ideas. I meant to type and upload this earlier but I was absolutely exhausted for the past few evenings. In the meanwhile, I've also cleaned up and added to some previous chapters.

This chapter is mainly to set up for Yuuki's second confrontation with Nakusa. As Ayato pointed out, the first was ill-timed and the vampirette's intentions were left unclear. Included another canon element here - the story about Yuuki's fear of lightning - as well as some more background behind Ayato and Yuuki's relationship. After that, we'll hopefully learn more about the very mysterious father lurking around now and address some solid changes in the dynamics of the characters. Very excited to continue writing for your pleasure.


	40. Bound by Duty

He had sired a pack of lions, that much was certain. And now his sons were nearly old enough to begin challenging him for dominance. Although this idea appealed to his pride as a father, Karlheinz would not let go of the throne without a fight. Until one of the six boys could prove themselves, there was no way that the title of Vampire King would fall to unworthy rulers unfit to lead their people.

Out of the six running for succession, only two boys were the obvious candidates.

Beatrix had conceived the eldest son... Shu had always been groomed to live up to his father's name. Unfortunately, the young man never showed any enthusiasm towards his pre-planned destiny. On the other hand, Cordelia constantly pushed her youngest to steal power. Ayato had definitely displayed his desire to overthrow his father on multiple occasions. Both his fangs and ambitions were bared.

Now, Karlheinz was facing a dilemma of his own. He had always decided to leave the choice to "Eve", the unsuspecting and gentle Yuuki Komori. Her blood was instrumental towards the fate of their entire race. She would pick an "Adam" from amongst his sons and they would create a new era for vampires everywhere. Karlheinz had even prepared a back up plan in case this process didn't go as smoothly as he hoped. But it looked like the Mukami brothers, a group Karlheinz had hand picked for his purposes, would not be needed after all. It was clear that she had chosen Ayato to be her partner; however, the father doubted whether or not this was beneficial for his people.

Before he retired the throne, he needed to make sure Ayato was fit to lead.

Then there was this matter of the three untimely deaths at the hands of the rash boy. Personally, Karlheinz felt happy to hear the news. If Ayato could single-handedly murder three vampirettes, which was quite a feat, there was a good chance that he'd be able to kill the former king too... However, Yuuki was right.

Ayato's behavior posed a problem. The red head possessed a temperament and an inflated ego to match. The prince had another thing coming if he believed that he could get away with anything. To complicate matters, Karlheinz had to be careful not to harm Ayato's dignity and reputation in front of the boy's future subjects.

So how should the young man be punished? It was a dilemma indeed. But the King could not have asked for a better opportunity to return home. This was the perfect chance to teach his son a lesson in what it meant to bear responsibility.

Even as Tougo Sakamaki, the Vampire King was popular with the public. With two millennial of experience, Karlheinz knew how to take care of others and maintain respect. He had indeed perfected the art of relationships... if not with his own family. But who could blame the fellow? Karlheinz had decided to create a pride of his own only when he wished to pass on. His wives were young and his children were younger. They were immature and full of energy and youthful passions, and he was old and inexperienced when it came to dealing with them. In order to avoid worsening the atmosphere between his highly competitive partners, he had avoided displaying any form of favoritism towards his offspring. Unfortunately, this meant that he had indirectly neglected his sons, who grew to hate him.

How could he teach his son how to earn respect when he had failed to do so? How could he teach Ayato to be gentle and caring towards those who depended on the prince's good judgement? Wait, that wasn't a problem. Yuuki's personality had already started softening Ayato in that respect. But there was only so much that the girl could do on her own.

The Vampire King sighed and stopped walking down the halls to look out the window. Rain drops were battering the glass, scattering the cloud-muffled moonlight with tiny reflections before streaking down to the sill.

And yes, there was only so much that Yuuki could do on her own. He had momentarily forgotten that regardless of who became King, she would definitely become Queen one day. She would need training of her own.

Karlheinz hoped that her interactions with Nakusa would be telling of whether or not she was fit for the role. Last night's performance was disappointing to say the least. The vampirette _had_, however, won the hearts of his sons so Karlheinz concluded that he would keep an eye on Yuuki's further development. With her, he would bide his time and continue to observe...

That's all he had ever done, really. Observe. He had even disguised himself as the school doctor Reinhart in order to "observe" his sons from a distance. It was a shameful business honestly. Karlheinz, king of all vampires, was unable to face his own children. Was he ever planning to act or what?

No. He wouldn't let the new generation take over until they had been polished for their roles. Karlheinz had a duty to show this untested lad how to be a man...

The solemn vampire cracked a smile. He had finally thought of a solution to handle his rebellious son. It was a fitting punishment – one that would make Ayato cringe with horror.

Indeed, Karlheinz was notorious for his methods of instilling discipline for good reason.

* * *

A/N: Phew, I bet you didn't expect light to be shed on so many hidden intentions in one go. I had to really stretch out what I know from the canon in order to make this work. But what do you guys think? Did you like the fact that I switched to Karlheinz's POV here?


	41. Distrust

The cold seeped into Nakusa's bones and she coughed to release it from her throat. Her imprisonment in the drafty tower made the past few nights absolutely dreadful. And thinking about the events that led her to this miserable existence just made her shiver twofold.

She had been forced to recount the night when Lilith and the gang had attacked Yuuki twice now. Once for the Sakamaki brothers, who had tortured the information out of her. The second, when the Vampire King himself had graced her with his audience – euphemism for interrogation. She had spilled all the beans but tried to paint herself in as positive a light by blaming Lilith for everything. Nakusa had to admit that she was a coward through and through.

But it wasn't her own fault, really.

Yes, this was all Yuuki Komori's fault. Why did that brat have to provoke them? She should have known that she wouldn't have stood a chance. And although Nakusa easily submitted to the will of the all-powerful Sakamaki men, there was no was she would yield to Yuuki, the crazy bi-o-tch...

* * *

"Ah, Laito! I'm so glad to see you!" Yuuki puffed as she entered the sitting room to find the boy in his favorite arm chair.

He looked up from his novel and blinked. "Need anything, Koinu-cchi?"

"Yes, well you see," the girl started, "I just realized that don't know how to find the tower. Can you take me there?"

"Nakusa's tower?"

"Yeah, her..." Yuuki seemed oddly reluctant to use the girl's name. "But if I'm bugging you, I'll just go find Ayato again."

He put his book down.

"You're willing to go out in this weather?" The towers were not directly connected to the main part of the mansion.

"Why would I have to go out? Can't we just teleport there like last time?"

Perplexity distorted his brow. "Oh, I wasn't aware that you could."

"Huh?" Yuuki mimicked the expression. "No, I can't. Ayato took me there."

Laito gaped with belated realization. "You mean he transported himself with _you in tow_?"

"Uhh... yeah."

The vampire tipped his hat with an expression of disbelief and whistled. "How long has he been able to do that?"

_Since the night he threw me on top of my mattress and sucked my blood dry after making out?_

The female blushed. There was no way she could say that aloud.

"For awhile now. Erm. Before our first date."

"That kid's getting more powerful," Laito muttered, his awe fading as he got used to the idea.

This was news indeed. "How come?" Yuuki asked.

He shrugged in response, his mouth a thin and indifferent line. "Probably because he's got you. Anyway, I'll take you to the tower – just let me fetch an umbrella."

Laito offered the crook of his elbow and although Yuuki giggled at the gesture, she paid it little mind. The young man couldn't ever ignore a woman in need - or any old woman for that matter. His flirtatious and devilishly courteous behavior applied to all females regardless of whether it was another human, vampire, or dog. She accepted the arm while wondering about her new beloved pet and Shu and Ayato's whereabouts, before the pair set off towards Nakusa's chamber.

With most of the cloud's water supply already depleted, the rain had begun to lift. Thus, the stroll itself was not unpleasant and Yuuki breathed in the wet gardens with appreciation. But the flight up the stairs was horrendously oppressive. Dampness penetrated to stone walls and even the vampirette felt the chill despite herself.

Nakusa was huddled on her thin mattress, looking positively freezing, before she noticed that she had two visitors. The chocolate-skinned girl stared at the pair warily as he unlocked the iron gate. Yuuki, on the other hand, flew to the prisoner's side.

"There's no way I'm letting you stay here any longer and die of pneumonia!" the vampirette cried. "Come, I'm taking you back to the main house for a nice hot bath."

And that was exactly what Yuuki did regardless of the protests from the other two parties. Laito was unaware that Yuuki had been given permission to take the girl out of her cell, and Nakusa... well, she was just stubborn in her desire to hate the petite blonde.

* * *

The one-eyed girl decided that the vampirette was definitely missing something "upstairs" and that blondes were indeed stupid. This false friendship thing was already going too far. After graciously shoo-ing off her male companion, Yuuki had ushered the girl into a bathroom to clean the grime Nakusa had accumulated in captivity. The vampirette had a maid dispose the tattered uniform that the prisoner had been wearing for days and replaced it with a fresh set of her own clothes. And now, Nakusa was sitting in front of a vanity with her dark, wet locks being combed by Yuuki. The gestures confused the part nephilim but she wasn't about to complain. It was nice to have her wounds properly patched up and be able to freshen up.

Yuuki offered a handkerchief when Nakusa sneezed.

"Oh, you poor thing. I don't ever get sick anymore, but it must have been terrible up there all by yourself."

"Will you stop that?" Nakusa snapped in response as she accepted the piece of cloth. "It's creeping me out. What do you want from me?"

The vampirette grinned at their reflections in the mirror.

"Oh, nothing much. It's just been awhile since I've got the chance to brush another girl's hair – so I'm pretty happy right now. Sit quietly and let me enjoy this."

Nakusa scowled but remained silent. The moment the vampirette finished, Nakusa covered her mutilated eye, whose lid had remained firmly shut, with her dark bangs. Yuuki hesitantly stroked the brow above it as she pushed the bangs back.

"What happened here?" She had wondered which party was responsible for the injury for a while.

"Punishment for betraying my former mistress," the girl sneered in response. "No, it's not like we ever trusted each other. Punishment for having the nerve to disrespect her, I guess."

Yuuki let the strands of hair fall back onto Nakusa's face.

"What's with that expression? Don't feel sorry for me – I don't trust you either."

The vampirette was visibly upset by the comment. She plucked a wilting rose out of a slender vase that adorned her vanity. "Does it make you feel better?"

"What?"

"Trying to hurt me." Yuuki sighed, not expecting a positive response anyway. "It's hard for me too, you know. It's not easy to smile and pretend that nothing happened."

"Then why bother? I'd rather you'd snuff out my pitiful existence then force me to bear this morally-upright act of yours."

The blonde abruptly stopped playing with the fragile petals.

"No – I won't let that happen. I'm not going to let you die."

"That's what I'm saying," Nakusa said as she stood up. "Why not? Surely, getting rid of me is only convenient for you. Unless of course, you're looking for a fresh source of blood."

"I won't do that either." Yuuki half smirked after she let the idea sink in. "You look confused. Let's just say that I hate mosquito bites as much as anyone else."

The joke was lost on the prisoner. "Wow, you're literally the craziest vampire I have ever met. And that's saying something."

The insult was wordlessly regarded with mild humor.

Nakusa crossed her arms in a subtle display of vulnerability. She didn't know what to do with herself after the conversation had been dropped, so she coughed awkwardly to fill the silence. "Soo~ What now?"

"You know what? I think it's just best if I show you why..." Yuuki mused and headed for the door, seemingly expecting the girl to follow.

Great. Now they were going on a damned field trip.

* * *

A/N: For all the patience Yuuki is showing, Nakusa is pretty goddamn ungrateful.


	42. What Once Haunted Her

Yuuki walked to the center of the green room, closed her eyes, and inhaled deeply in order to calm her nerves.

How long had it been since Kanato introduced her to this sight? The memory still gave her goosebumps. For so long, she had refused to talk about this room and everything that it signified in order to try and deny the dark truth behind a vampire's sustenance.

"What are these?" Nakusa asked as she examined the morbid displays with curiosity.

"My sisters before me," the blonde replied sadly. "They are sacrificial brides – the former meals of the Sakamaki family."

The chocolate-shaded character choked on a piercing cry when the meaning of the words hit her. Yuuki returned to her side in an attempt to comfort the disillusioned child. But the former-human knew that nothing could comfort the inevitable catharsis of horror. Feeding was one thing. Preserving the dead bodies was a whole new level of sickening.

"Get away from me!" Nakusa screeched, retreating from the vampirette. She was gripped in a panic that made her shun the one existence that she didn't fear.

The nephilim had long deemed Yuuki relatively harmless compared to any other supernatural being. Even if one day the blonde finally grew the balls to lash out – which was only a matter of time judging by her hard-headed ways – Nakusa would still stubbornly refuse to be scared of her.

Yuuki, realizing that her efforts were futile, strolled past rows of deceased females before stopping in front of one similarly dolled up in wedding white. She experimentally touched a piece of intricate lace before smoothing it back down.

"They were beautiful, weren't they? I'm sure all of them dreamt of happy lives and sweet endings. Yet cruel fate would not even let them sleep for eternity." She stared at her own reflection in the glass iris of the corpse. They made the doll seem hauntingly alert, awake, and aware of the two living guests.

"Fortunately, my fated circumstances turned the tables to my favor. You are not quite so inherently lucky, however." Yuuki continued. The blonde turned towards the whimpering creature once again, her mannerisms and tone hardened. "Do you see now? I, by no means, love you out of the goodness of my heart. I'm not like my father, who can love all of humanity. I simply refused to let you to become an addition to this collection." She picked up the nephilim off of the floor by her collar and whispered, "If you happened to be Lilith or Arachnae or any old vampire, I wouldn't have tried to protect you. I just want to end this nightmare as soon as possible."

"I never asked you to care about me," Nakusa replied with a shaky voice. "But you are an idiot if you believe that this nightmare will ever end."

"Oh?" Yuuki challenged, letting go of the frilly blouse she had lent.

"If you're trying to keep other girls from becoming prey for the sake of your precious conscience, you are bound to fail."

The petite blonde frowned. "It might seem impossible but I can at least try my best."

"And what? Lead Ayato-sama and his brothers to starvation?" Nakusa demanded. "You're really selfish, you know. Don't you care about the fact that it's going to kill him?_ You're his lover, aren't you_?"

"They won't die because of it." Yuuki responded quietly, although she looked away in a moment of hesitation induced by the girls words.

"They might as well. Making an immortal face an eternity of thirst... Shame on you. Even_ I _never wished that on the vampires I was forced to submit to, although it's an amusing thought now that I think about it."

"So you would willingly let yourself be repeatedly eaten alive?" Yuuki snapped, not wanting to admit that the prisoner had a valid point concerning the blonde's own attitude towards fellow supernatural.

The nephilim remained silent for a few seconds, mulling the rhetorical question over. "Yes. Only if I actually cared about the particular vampire. But, obviously, no such person exists."

The vampirette scowled. "Anyway, this isn't even a question about whether I care for the boys. Of course I care about them. If anyone's the idiot – it's _you_ for refusing my protection."

Nakusa laughed unexpectedly. "Yeah, that's better. Call me an idiot, a retard, a coward, a bitch... Hate me all you want. It makes me feel less guilty about hating you."

_So this is how it's going to be, huh? Fine, we'll have it your way._

Yuuki's expression eased into a mask of indifference. "No thanks. I wouldn't want to dirty the air with petty name-calling."

"Then go ahead call me by my name. It's an adequate insult. If you do, I promise I'll cringe every time I hear your annoying voice."

The vampirette ignored the verbal jab. "I refuse to acknowledge your mother's heartless choice."

"Why?"

"Because parents should unconditionally love their children."

"Oh, and _you're_ the expert." It was a known fact that Yuuki was an orphan.

"Yes, when it comes to unconditional devotion... I fell for a boy who's committed terrible, terrible sins. Other people would condemn me for remaining in a relationship with such a person. But I'm not those people. I have a duty to love him."

An unruly snort was followed by a cheeky, "How come it's a _duty_?"

"His mother's blood flows in me so I have to give him all the affection he missed out on as a child. Same with his brothers. But besides that, I've genuinely grown to care for them over time. They're important to me."

Nakusa gaped at the first statement. "What do you mean by that? Are you actually Ayato-sama's _half-sister_?!"

"Eww, no!" Yuuki exclaimed at the prospect of incest. "Of course not. I have Lady Cordelia's heart in me!"

"Gah, don't creep me out like that! So you got an organ transplant. Big deal. This so-called _duty_ is all nonsense."

"It's not nonsense! He's saved my life on multiple occasions and -"

"Then you're just indebted to him. You're deluding yourself - anyone can tell that that's not love. And it's really a shame if you're going to call your revenge against Lilith-sama _love_ since you're just being dishonest. That's not fair to him."

The vampirette blushed furiously. "Shut up! How would you know how I feel?"

"See? You're just in denial."

"YOU'RE WRONG!" Yuuki finally exclaimed, her voice echoing loudly throughout the room.

In her flustered state, she hastily tried to explain everything she felt for her partner, but her thoughts were too scattered and plentiful to try to organize coherently.

"He-makes-me-feel-all-tingly-and-safe-and-his-smile-is-perfect-and-I-don't-know-how-to-react-when-he-acts-cocky-but-I'd-love-him-and-his-damned-hair-and-gorgeous-face-all-the-same-and-he-only-acts-out-because-he-never-got-any-attention-and-people-don't-know-that-he's-actually-a-sensitive-guy-deep-down-inside-and-just-wants-to-have-a-little-fun-and-that-he-would-never-ever-hurt-me-and-even-if-I-pretend-that-I-hate-his-teasing-it-secretly-makes-me-happy-and-I-know-he-loves-me-too-and-"

"WHOA, whoa! Take a breather, girl!" Nakusa cried out, cutting the other off abruptly. She wondered if the vampirette's astonishing red complexion stemmed out of anger or something else entirely. Placing her bet on the latter, the part-nephilim shortly mused on the precise shade of the petite girl's blush. Crimson? Hot tamale? Cherry? Yeah, Maraschino Cherry would be pretty accurate, ridiculous as the description may sound.

"Like I said... That's not love. Doesn't it seem like a petty crush at best?"

"Well-!" Yuuki bit her bottom lip and clutched her elbow in embarrassment. "See, regardless of whatever horrible things he does, Ayato somehow retains this - this kind of _innocence_. I don't know if it's because he's such a simpleton or the fact that he wears his heart on his sleeve... I just want to kind of cherish that part of him. I know that sounds strange. And I know this may not be the time or place to say such things, especially to you of all people, but I care so much about Ayato that it really hurts to think that anyone would doubt me. Maybe you're right. Maybe I just want to protect him. But he's faced me head on and kept supporting me no matter what in his own way. And despite everything, I love that part of him."

She hadn't expected the sudden gush of confessions however silly they were. For some reason, she found Yuuki's innocent approach to romance somewhat endearing. When she realized that she was smiling like an idiot, Nakusa tried to cover it up by clearing her throat.

Yuuki followed with an awkward cough of her own. "Uhm, yeah. I don't know how to explain it... but I love him."

"Haah~ Yeah... I can see that." Nakusa nodded, dropping the subject. "How did we even get on this tangent?"

"Your name, was it?"

"Oh, yeah. That." The part nephilim waved her hand dismissively. "Well, like I said earlier, just call me Nakusa. It doesn't bother me anymore. Besides, I don't have a family name."

Yuuki shook her head. "That's a lie. You call yourself _unwanted_ every time you're down, don't you?"

Nakusa froze.

_Ah, I was right. The poor thing must have developed a complex over it._

"Karlheinz said that you were never leaving this estate. If that's the case, you can go ahead and throw your old identity behind you and nobody will ever ask twice. The former you doesn't exist out there anymore."

"What identity?" Nakusa inquired. "I have never once done anything to define myself as an individual until recently. Even if you gave me a new name, Kirai would be the only thing that suits me."

"Again, you're wrong. Nobody said that you will always be filled with hate." Yuuki stepped forward and reached out to caress Nakusa's cheek. "Choose something that portrays your hidden qualities."

"Again, there's nothing special about me."

"Then let me think of something..." Pink pupils wandered over dark brown locks "If you had silky black hair, I'd name you Yoru."

"What – because of my dark skin? In that case why don't you just call me Chocolate Cake, gosh darn it?" Nakusa joked. She had decided to let the other girl have her fun, if only to make up for the prior embarrassment they both shared.

Yuuki chuckled before pursing her lips. Her thumb lightly brushed the girl's closed lid.

"Then I will give you a name that reminds you of the first time that you stood up for yourself, your own wretchedness, and the beauty that exists besides it," the vampirette whispered reverently, as if she was baptizing the girl in one of those countless christenings her father had performed. "You will be Hitomi."

The part nephilim didn't expect hot tears to well up. She closed her eyes to restrain them but cupped the vampirette's cold fingers with her own palm regardless.

"Aye... That is a fitting name."

* * *

A/N: Lawl, that one loyal minion never got a name but Nakusa gets a bunch of choices just for betraying her former friend. For clarification, Kirai means "hate", Yoru means "night", and Hitomi means "wisdom, intellect;beautiful;eye" depending on the kanji used. It's a cruelly bittersweet reference to her now-mutilated visage. I like to think that it's a battle scar that took her from "pretty, but nothing special" to "beautiful".

In this chapter, I hinted a little at Yuuki's slight mental instability. (No, I'm not making her into Kanato Version Two. Don't worry – I wouldn't do something that drastic lol) The reason that she has grown significantly colder and snaps at others more easily is because of the traumatic events that she's witnessed. But then again, she retains her humanity and therefore gains the ability to heal. I guess it's the trade-off, you know? Again, don't worry about Yuuki. I assure you, she'll be fine and that she_ is_ still the protagonist. Just in case you were scared that Nakusa's presence would begin to dominate the story.


	43. Changing Dynamics

"Come on, Yuuki! Put some energy into it!" Subaru yelled.

He wasn't even trying that hard. With a roar, the vampirette finally was able to muster the strength to throw him off.

"Better," the young instructor stated.

"No. Not good enough." Yuuki huffed in reply, assuming her practiced stance. "Come on, let's do it again."

Subaru wondered if they were pushing the limit.

She was already out of breath... which in itself was weird – vampires were never out of breath unless they were literally dying. It was the first day of training and Subaru had been relentless. Yuuki thought they would stop before the sun rose, but the morning had gone and past.

When the girl had finally questioned it, Subaru retorted, "We only have a few more days off of school. Do you think you'll ever get such a convenient break to prepare yourself? Now -"

He hadn't needed to finish the sentence. Yuuki immediately got the message and hardened her resolve. In fact, her enthusiasm was the reason their practice had reached the midday mark. He simply had been testing her will earlier and would stop whenever she needed to. However, the vampirette was totally absorbed in her effort to become stronger.

Hitomi had eventually tired of standing, so she plopped herself down on a fountain rim as she watched the fighting duo from the sidelines. They were nothing like Ayato and Lilith's awe-inspiring performance. She purposefully laughed at all of Yuuki's clumsy blunders but couldn't get rid of a nagging feeling. Something about the vampirette's determined expression almost incited a sense of admiration. Hitomi wondered why Yuuki was such a try-hard as she got up to stretch since her legs had fallen asleep.

"Eh~ what's Nakusa-chan doing out here?" Laito called out in a mockingly sultry voice.

Hitomi turned around in surprise to find the vampire's hand casually placed on the small of her back.

"I could ask the same of you," the girl said fearfully as she stepped away from him.

"Just curious about those two over there." Laito shrugged before letting his gaze wander over the girl, who seemed much healthier after bathing in the warm sunlight. "Oho? What's this?"

Hitomi's fingers self-consciously brushed the area under her new prosthetic eye.

"Ah, Yuuki-sama told Kanato-sama to give me one from his collection. He wasn't too happy about it," she admitted.

Kanato had grumbled that his precious glass eyes were reserved for sacrificial brides, that one of the pairs would be incomplete, and that he didn't even have the right color. He reluctantly parted with one that was a tad too golden to be convincingly Hitomi's, but the girl was grateful nonetheless. She could tell that Kanato had been burning up with hatred at the prospect. Indeed, he had only balked due to Yuuki's insistence.

If Karlheinz and Ayato tied for the two people she was most frightened of, Kanato was a close runner up. He was the one who had gleefully tortured her, after all. The part nephilim shivered at the memory. Kanato seemed to be unnaturally attached to the vampirette - and had acted like the crime of ganging up on Yuuki had been a personal offense.

"Yuuki-_sama_?" Laito noted, pulling the girl out of her mental tangent. Hitomi didn't feel the need to explain the change of heart and turned back towards Subaru and his latest student, who was lying on the ground again.

"AH~ Enough!" Yuuki cried as she sat up. "Hitomi, can you go fetch me a glass of water?"

The part-nephilim jumped at the sudden request. "Oh, umm, sure," she mumbled before hurrying inside.

Subaru helped the vampirette up and the two headed towards the direction that the girl had disappeared.

"Oh, you were watching, Laito?" Yuuki asked as she rolled her right shoulder. Her face was charmingly flushed, but the brothers could tell that she was exhausted.

"Just chatting with Nakusa," the vampire replied as he readjusted his hat.

"No, not Nakusa. Her name's Hitomi now." Yuuki quickly corrected.

Laito chuckled at the nickname. "Yes, of course, Koinu-cchi. My bad."

"Already flirting with the new girl, I see." Subaru commented. Unlike the vampirette, he seemed completely refreshed without a sign of physical strain.

"Ohh, you darned playboy. Is that it? Leave her alone, will you." Yuuki added while laughing along.

"What a terrible accusation, milady! I am a very faithful admirer."

Further small talk was interrupted by Karlheinz, who entered the mansion with his eldest son in tow.

"Where were you two?" Subaru asked Shu. It was rare to see the temporary master of the house active at night, let alone during the day.

Light, ocean blue eyes met blood red ones with tiredness and apathy. "Working."

"Cleaning up the mess at your school, more precisely." Karlheinz clarified before noticing the resident vampirette's condition. "Yuuki, what's the matter?"

"Oh, nothing worth your concern, sir." Yuuki replied breathlessly. "Just some light exercise."

"Training for hours is no light exercise." Reiji commented as he and Kanato appeared in order to greet their father. "You two created quite a commotion."

Kanato anxiously glanced at the vampirette. "Yuu-chan, are you alright?"

"Why does everyone keep asking me that? I'm_ fine_. Just a little thirsty if anything."

"What kind of _training_ drains the energy of a perfectly healthy, young vampire?" Karlheinz demanded.

"Yuu-chan has always had a weak constitution, Father." Kanato piped up, but did little to alleviate the concern that was now festering inside the minds of all the boys. Even the rigorous training shouldn't have pushed Yuuki to such a state.

The King's eyes narrowed as he glanced at the five present sons. "Define_ always_..."

* * *

Hitomi felt quite lost until she found a maid to show her to way to the kitchen. After retrieving the glass, she returned to find most of the royal family at the doorway.

"-hat do you mean she hasn't had her first feeding!?" Karlheinz bellowed. "Of course she's still feeling sickly after the awakening!"

The teenagers looked terrified. They had never seen the King in such a rage before.

"Erm, I _have_ been drinking blood regularly..." Yuuki replied meekly. "Reiji's taken care of it for me."

"Reiji should have known better." Karlheinz spat.

"Umm, Yuuki-sama, here's your water." Hitomi said quietly, feeling like she had arrived at an inopportune moment. The vampires looked at the part-nephilim with a mixture of apprehension and contempt.

"Hitomi, I think you should go back to your new room," the vampirette suggested.

"No. She will stay here." Karlheinz asserted. Hitomi hesitated at the two conflicting commands.

"Nakusa, give me that cup," the King bid, before procuring a knife from the depths of his cloak.

Despite her primal instincts telling her to flee, Hitomi obeyed the order.

"Stop!" Yuuki protested in horror as Karlheinz dumped the water onto the floor – but it was too late. The elder vampire slit the girl's wrist and fresh blood spilled into the now-empty glass. The boys, who had thus far been starving themselves for the vampirette's sake, nearly lost control at the scent.

Karlheinz pushed the girl aside and told Reiji to wrap the injury immediately so that she wouldn't die. Before anyone else could react, he appeared at Yuuki's side. Subaru belatedly tried to jump up in her defense but the father easily immobilized him.

"Drink."

"No!" Yuuki cried, even as her eyes began to shine dangerously.

"You _will_ drink!"

Karlheinz grabbed a fistful of blonde hair and, as gently as he could manage, pulled her head back. As Yuuki yowled in pain, the King poured the drink down her throat.

* * *

The shatter of glass and a subsequent scream awoke a napping Ayato. His lids snapped open and he rushed towards the violent scene with a sense of dread. His fears were quickly justified, as he discovered sharp crystal bits scattered across a blood-soaked rug. The young vampires in vicinity valiantly tried to suppress the urges their thirsty eyes betrayed.

Karlheinz calmly stood of to the side, unaffected by the chaos that he had caused.

"Shu, you will clean up this mess too," he said before walking away. Shu bowed deeply before quietly releasing a resigned breath.

Subaru shouted an expletive and lunged at his father, but Laito and Reiji held the incensed teenager back. It would do no good to challenge their ever-powerful King in a fit of rage.

A panicked, "Yuu-chan, she'll die if you don't stop now!" snatched the vampires' collective attention.

"Yuuki!" Ayato exclaimed when he spotted Kanato trying to lift the petite blonde from another body. Both of the girls' clothes were dyed with liquid scarlet.

The red head flew to their side, shoving Kanato aside. Ayato grabbed the vampirette's shoulders and pried her off Hitomi. It took some effort, because Yuuki's fangs were firmly lodged in the part-nephilim's neck.

"Yuuki, are you okay?" Ayato asked as her head fell against his chest limply. The petite blonde's craze-tinged gaze flashed with recognition before she coughed up some of her meal. Her head throbbed and she was unable to respond.

"She's fine now. She just lost control." Hitomi stated, laying numbly beside the couple. Her detached attitude reflected the dull peace that would replace the excitement of thirty-seconds-ago.

Ayato cradled Yuuki's crying figure. "One of you idiots, _explain_."

"Don't get so defensive, Ayato." Reiji remarked. "Yuuki just experienced her first feeding. It's not like she was the one who was hurt."

"What are you talking about? Yuuki's tasted my blood the night of the awakening."

"A human, Ayato. She hadn't fed on a human yet." Kanto stated. "Apparently, that's why she's been so weak after turning."

The answer angered him. "Then why the hell didn't we just give her a sacrifice in the first place instead of all that shit she's been drinking?"

"We had ours before we could remember," Laito explained. "How are we supposed to know that she_ needed_ a proper sacrifice?"

The vampirette clutched the sides of her partner's shirt. "Don't get angry at your brothers, Ayato." Yuuki whimpered.

"He has every right to." Reiji countered. "It's my fault for not realizing that the hospital's supply wasn't good enough."

"No, it's not your fault." Yuuki said as tears streamed down her face and onto her soiled collar. "I promised not to hurt Hitomi... I promised, and I hurt her. I'm so sorry."

"Don't treat me like an idiot. I warned you about your own natures. That's what you get for trying to fight it." Hitomi sneered as she sat up. She tore of a strip of the now-destroyed blouse and tied her injuries expertly. "Stop feeling entitled to self-pity, gosh darn it. You think I haven't had this happen to me a billion times already? Well, it has."

Yuuki ripped her tear-stained and blood-stained face away from Ayato to face the girl. "You don't understand! I feel guilty because for a second _I actually liked it_!" She grimaced at her own words. "I vowed never to hurt a human because the thought always disgusted me. Blood always disgusted me. And now I've become twisted enough to actually _want _to drink more."

"That _does not _make you twisted." Ayato denied with a hard tone.

Laito laughed at the irony of the situation. "Koinu-cchi, feeding is a very intimate process for us vampires. I guess the sensual pleasure might seem sinful to a virgin, but you should embrace it."

Laito indirectly put to words what Yuuki could not describe. The instant when her mind was taken over by the sheer force of instinct. That warm feeling that had bubbled up in her stomach. The intoxicating effect of Hitomi's scent and taste... It was all a sensual pleasure that she was indeed ashamed of. The cupful that Karlheinz forced her to drink hadn't been enough so she downright _attacked_ the source. As a former-human, she felt ashamed.

Hitomi sighed. "Look, I get that you couldn't hold yourself back so I won't blame you for it this time. I'd hate you regardless of whether or not you actually ever bit me anyway. So stop feeling this stupid guilt trip. I'm the victim here, okay? Your overreaction is totally confusing me."

Reiji pulled off his white gloves. "The nephilim is right. Don't be so dramatic and go clean yourselves up. It's pointless to keep dwelling on it."

Yuuki's eyes widened. Everyone's cold reactions to what had just transpired shocked her.

"This seems so normal to you guys, doesn't it?"

"Yes. It's incredibly normal." Shu finally commented between grit teeth, seemingly at the end of his tether. "And unless Nakusa wishes to be ripped apart by a pack of vampires, she will retire immediately."

Yuuki finally realized that she wasn't the only one who posed a threat to the human. "Oh, right... Hitomi, let's go."

The group dispersed while Shu and Reiji remained behind to tidy up.

* * *

Subaru tapped Ayato on the shoulder once they were out of earshot. "I couldn't stop Karlheinz. Sorry."

"No, I'm the only one who stands a chance against _that man_ anyway. It's my fault for not being there... Besides, it's about time that Yuuki became a full-fledged vampire." Ayato responded.

"So... you're not mad?"

"I'm _furious_, but pancake has to deal with this one on her own."

Subaru raised a brow as the other teen began to walk away.

"Anyways, I'll be relying on you l'il brother."

"Wait."

Ayato turned back. "What?"

Subaru paused for a moment before asking, "Why me?"

"..." It was a stupid question, but he gave a serious answer anyway. "Because she trusts you."

"And you don't feel threatened by that?"

Ayato cracked a smirk. "Not at all. Pancake would definitely pick me over the rest of the world even if it was the apocalypse."

Subaru sighed. "Aren't you getting a little to lax?"

"About what?"

The youngest son ran his hand through his silvery-white hair. "I've mentioned it earlier but it seems like you didn't get it. It's your cocky attitude that's going to cause everything to fall apart, you know. Don't take Yuuki for granted."

The older brother scowled. "I'm not taking her for granted. I'd be an idiot to be all up in her case now that she wants to have some individuality."

"Oh wow, trying to sound all accommodating, now? Don't kid yourself. Basically, you're making her deal with everything by herself."

Ayato shrugged off the notion. "Think what you will. I already warned her that Karlheinz was up to no good. None of us are to blame if she doesn't use her own brains." He smiled wryly. "But it's not like I'm leaving her to fend for herself, you know. It's your job to make her strong enough to handle these kinds of situations."

"And what are you planning on doing in the meanwhile, might I ask?"

"I'm planning on becoming worthy of my ambitions. Which includes her, of course."

Subaru tilted his head towards the ceiling. "Ah, there it is again! You're just spouting off steam again – nothing you say is concrete."

Ayato suddenly appeared in front of him. "Exactly, none of it is concrete but it soon will be." He placed his hands on the younger brother's shoulders. "And the fact that you're questioning it is the reason I've decided to trust you, Subaru. It means you've got a good head on these shoulders. I believe I can be the best king this world has ever known, but that doesn't mean that I don't need some support... Won't you be on my side?"

"Such honeyed words make my stomach turn. Didn't we already establish my position last time?" Subaru stated as he slowly removed himself from the other vampire's grasp.

"No. Last time our conversation was too short. Since then I've realized that you've always been on_ her_ side."

"What difference does it make if I'm on hers or not?"

"All the difference." Ayato said bluntly.

"Then what do _you _want from me."

"I want your undying pledge of loyalty."

Subaru laughed awkwardly. "You do realize that I need to see results before I'd do anything that reckless."

"Ha." Ayato snorted. "Please, I can tell that the prospect makes your imagination tingle. Admit it, Subaru – you've always been as reckless as I am."

"And you've always wanted to be the lead actor. How come I'm the one stuck with this stupid role?"

"God~ Don't make me repeat myself a million times. You're the only one who can keep an eye on my back. You know what that means? You can stab me at any time. Normally, I'd only let Yuuki do this job for me but she's in the same situation as I am. Besides, you understand us so I can trust you to make the decisions that I'd approve of."

"And what if I say no thanks?"

"Then I've just wasted a shit-load of energy trying to convince you. But that's fine with me – I can do this on my own, but your help would just make it easier."

"Way to make me feel special, bro." Subaru grinned as he cracked his knuckles. "Fine – I promise to do what I can. I must say the idea of stabbing you in the back sometime is quite appealing."

"Glad to hear it." Ayato replied as he turned away once again. "But I know you wouldn't ever betray me."

"Why is that?"

"Because, Subaru, you never had the balls to be at the top and you never will. It sounds harsh but it's the truth. If it wasn't the case, you would have already taken initiative..."

"Eh?"

"Don't think I'm not aware of your feelings for Yuuki." Ayato called back as he waved a casual, back-handed farewell. "At least I'm being honest about my intentions. I expect the same courtesy from you."

"Tch. Whatever. I'm not going to fall for your provocation." Subaru said to himself. A round of applause disrupted his would-be thoughts.

"Very good, both of you!" Karlheinz praised as he stepped out of the shadows.

The boy looked up at his father in disgust. "You were eavesdropping."

"Oh, come now. This is my own house – why would I ever need to sneak around like a petty spy?"

"Don't ask me." Subaru replied. "So why indeed are you gracing me with your presence, Father?"

"Now isn't that a polite way to address the one you've just been conspiring against?" Karlheinz stated, and chuckled at his son's cautious silence. "Don't worry, it makes me glad to see you boys acting out sometimes. This particular development especially."

"What do you mean?"

"It looks like Ayato has grown a lot since I've last been home. I believe he won't disappoint me. But, Subaru..."

"Yes?"

"Don't feel inferior simply because you are the youngest. Ayato didn't mean to crush you with his words just now. You've also matured, but it seems like he is the only one who has begun to realize it."

The statement piqued the boy's interest. "How so?"

Karlheinz regarded Subaru with mild amusement. "Both Eve and Adam have started to make their moves. Let me give you some fatherly advice for once, my son. It would do the world and yourself some good if you noticed the changes around you... Or else, your brothers will leave you in the dust."

The Vampire King disappeared, leaving the solitary young vampire more confused than he had been before.

"That old man also spouts a ton of nonsense." Subaru grumbled. It was the first time that Karlheinz had paid any attention to him individually, but the boy took the so-called words of advice with a grain of salt. More importantly, another idea started to tug at his curiosity.

"… He won't disappoint you, huh? Then I wonder what you're expecting from him."

* * *

A/N: I've been having horrid internet problems for the past few days. Life is scary without proper connection. Anyway, as an apology for the delay due to my personal technical difficulties – hope you enjoyed the substantially-longer-chapter-than-normal.


	44. Another Unlikely Friend

"Yuuki-sama, may I come in?"

The vampirette glanced at the bathroom door with a hint of apprehension. "I don't mind, but are you sure it's safe?"

"That's up to you, you know," came the muffled response. Yuuki watched the knob turn and Hitomi entered with two sets of fresh clothing. "Besides, you were a meal once. You should know that the safest time to be around a vampire is when they're full."

_Yeah, I knew that. But aren't you still acting a little too carefree?_

"I'm going to take a quick shower, okay?"

"Do what you wish," the blonde said as she closed her eyes and sunk deeper into the tub. Hitomi's scent was soon overpowered by the fragrance of her shampoo. "I should probably tell Reiji to get your things once the negotiations start." Yuuki called over the pounding of the water after a few minutes.

"Yeah, that would be for the best. I can't keep borrowing your clothes." Hitomi replied casually before killing the flow. "And who knows how many times this scene will repeat."

_I'd rather it didn't._ Yuuki thought to herself. Her own bloodied reflection had scared the beejeezus out of her when she first saw it. She looked like a ghost from a horror movie with a sinister lip-stain.

A rustle of a bathrobe dropping onto the floor next to her caused the vampirette to crack her eyes open.

"Whoa! What are you doing?" Yuuki exclaimed, alarmed at the sight of the part nephilim's nudity.

"Huh? Oh, I didn't think you'd mind if I joined you."

"Of course I mind! But hurry up and get in," she muttered, flustered at her own embarrassment as she folded her legs to accommodate the second person. Hitomi seemed totally unperturbed as she eased herself into the hot water on the opposite side of the tub. "Geez. How come you seem so calm?"

Hitomi laughed. "What? Haven't you ever taken a bath with another girl before?"

"Yes, well, this_ is_ Japan. But you're being awfully comfortable with someone you've only known for a few days. And it's probably not the best idea for you to be in here in the first place. Your veins are going to expand."

"I know, I know." Hitomi replied as she adjusted her arm so that her slit wrist remained out of the tub. "But I've stopped the bleeding – it should be fine... What are _you_ getting all touchy for? Chill out."

Yuuki pouted. "I can still smell it, though."

"Yeah, because you didn't make a nice, clean cut. Look at this-" Hitomi pointed at her neck. "You totally ripped my skin apart! I'd rather get bit by Lilith or Arachnae. At least they know what they're doing... You newborns are crazy."

"That's_ fine_ with me. I'm not going to practice enough to ever know what I'm doing."

The dark-haired girl sighed and relaxed her shoulders. "Nope. You'll get thirsty again soon enough. Now that you know what you've been missing out on, it's unlikely that you'll be able to hold yourself back."

Yuuki stared at the part-nephilim in silence for a long moment. "Why don't you seem the least bit disturbed?"

"Probably because I've been a meal for so many years. Surely, you came to accept your fate at some point."

The blonde thought back to when being preyed on stopped being an unwanted ordeal. "But... that's only because_ they_ became more important than the pain, right? And I thought you hated vampires."

"I do. But even if I hated my lot in life, trying to deny what was happening was only going to make it worse." Hitomi offered a pained smile. "Although there isn't anyone that I'd willing to give my entire body and soul to, what's done is done. The most I can do is learn how to deal with the consequences."

_Ah, like how you tied your wounds up immediately. I would've never been able to recover that fast._

"Hmm? You're a lot more mature than I gave you credit for, Hitomi."

"Nah. I'm just immaturely boasting about the one thing I'm an expert in – how to be sucked dry and survive." Hitomi stated with expressive gestures. "It's kind of a sad existence."

"Not _kind of_. It _is_ a sad existence." Yuuki said firmly. "Hey, give me your wrist. I want to try something."

"Eh?"

"Just do it."

The girl slowly offered her injured hand, but the skepticism in her face was clear. Yuuki placed her cold fingers on the cut, taking a deep breath.

"Whoa!" Hitomi gasped after a second. "What just happened?"

"Ooh, it did work." Yuuki chirped happily as the wound visibly closed up. "What does it feel like?"

"I don't know – it's all tingly. No, wait. It doesn't anymore... How did you do that?"

Yuuki waded forward to reach Hitomi's neck. "Ayato told me that my ability was to Heal. I didn't know if it applied to others or just myself, so I wanted to experiment a little."

"Neat," the brunette mumbled approvingly.

"Ah, much better. The scent has died down. It was kind of driving me crazy." Yuuki giggled as she returned to her side of the tub.

Hitomi rested her chin on her palm and grinned. "So, was Laito-sama telling the truth when he said that you were a virgin?"

"What a callous question!" Yuuki gasped as her cheeks reddened. "You don't ask people that kind of thing!"

"Hahaha, yeah, I thought so. The rumors were wrong, after all. I always doubted that Ayato-sama would ever lay a flat-chested girl like you."

"_Rude_! I'm not flat!" Yuuki cried as she covered herself with her arms. "But I hate to admit you have a nicer figure..." the vampirette mumbled to herself.

"Ohoho~ Apparently this rack drives everyone crazy." Hitomi said as she teasingly flaunted herself to the face-palming blonde.

"My Lord, you are absolutely shameless!" Yuuki shook her head as she began to climb out of the ornate tub. "You should take care not to act like that in front of the boys."

The part nephilim stopped laughing. "Of course. I know better than that. Especially that Laito-sama – he rubs me in all the wrong ways."

"Well, let me know if tries harassing you again and I'll put an end to it." Yuuki said as she wiped herself off and dressed. "Despite what you may think, I don't want them to be attacking you."

"Thanks for the concern, but I can probably handle all six at once if it ever comes down to it."

"... Could it be that you're some kind of a masochist?"

"That's not what I meant. Nephilim blood replenishes faster than a regular old human's... What the hell is that jealous expression for?"

"Hmphf! Nothing whatsoever," the former-human asserted, obviously upset. Her history of anemia had been the cause of much misfortune in the past. "I forgot that I shouldn't waste my energy in trying to protect you."

Hitomi unplugged the tap and let the luke-warm water drain out. "Honestly, I don't really mind if you do that magic-thingy afterward either."

Yuuki handed a towel and the second set of dry clothes to the girl. "You're weird. I can't tell if you hate it or not."

"What – getting bit?"

The vampirette nodded. "But I guess hardy people like you are important for the survival of vampires. If you didn't last all these years, I'm sure your former mistress would have dragged in countless more humans to_ the dark side_."

"That's one way to look at it." Hitomi commented absently. "I assume you'd rather feed on one girl in order to leave the rest of humanity alone. For the sake of your conscience."

"I'd rather not feed on anyone at all."

Hitomi pat the newborn vampirette's head affectionately. "Extreme mindsets don't last in reality. You should try to find a compromise."

"At the expense of others?"

The brunette shook her head. "No, at the expense of your sense of justice. Everyone has their own troubles whether or not you decide to add on to it. There's no point in feeling guilty for harming someone else to ease your own pain. But you're just an innocent baby, so I wouldn't expect you to understand yet."

Yuuki frowned. "You make it sound somewhat convincing, but that's just a bully mentality, isn't it?"

"Whatever you say." Hitomi shrugged. "I believe I'm being perfectly logical and you're being overly emotional. It just makes more sense to remain detached unless the world dictates otherwise."

The petite blonde tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Nah, I think I'll stick to my pathos-driven personality. If it wasn't for people like me, how would rational people ever make bonds with others? With all the turmoil that comes with it, relationships are simply baggage, right?"

"Exactly."

"No, no, not _exactly_. I was just demonstrating a mindset that, frankly, I don't agree with. I still believe that relationships are incredibly important."

"Why?"

Yuuki smiled, but her eyes were an unreadable mystery. "That's not something that can be explained with words, Hitomi. It's something you need to experience for yourself."

* * *

A/N: So there you have it: Hitomi was left alive in order to become Yuuki's companion. I thought the resident vampirette needed someone to help her mature, since thus far, Yuuki has usually been the support/voice of reason for the others.


	45. Torn Apart and Tossed Aside

There were only two words left to describe him:

_Heartless. Bastard._

Yuuki listlessly stared up at the curtained roof of her bed with salty tears streaking down the sides of her face before they soaked the mattress, irritating her ears along the way. She could not fathom why the most special existence in her world would turn against her in such a way.

The last words that he had uttered before she had passed out still rang clearly in her mind.

"_Forgive me," _he had muttered so softly that she almost believed that she had imagined it. The plea irked her – it was the last thing she wanted to do.

The realization of what happened the night before – or maybe it was two – came to her in slow, groggy waves. She instinctively checked her neck, but the tell-tale bite marks had already faded. Yuuki faintly recalled that vampires recovered much faster from superficial injuries than humans did.

She remembered that Ayato had come to her, seemingly disturbed. They had chatted for a minute, sitting casually side-by-side, but eventually Yuuki pointed out the strangeness in his manner. He paused then.

"... Hey, pancake, want to do it?" Ayato asked with a smirk. It took her awhile to realize what he had suggested. She was occupied with observing that the mirth didn't reach his clouded green eyes.

"What? No, of course not!" Yuuki had exclaimed, as she normally would. She was suddenly stricken by a sense of dread. There was something clearly wrong, but Ayato only nodded.

"Yeah, I figured you wouldn't want to be stuck with a child on your own."

_On my own?_

"... Ayato, you aren't breaking up with me, are you?" Yuuki asked with a hint of fear. Surely, there was nothing she had done to have caused this drastic change in attitude.

Ayato shook his head and she breathed a sigh of relief. A tense pause followed.

"But that might be easier for you," the young man mumbled to himself.

Even now, Yuuki remembered the moment with superb clarity. Time had slowed down and had her heart been beating, its rate would have skyrocketed. His eyes were hidden behind a curtain of his reddish bangs, and his lips were slightly parted. Something moved her to grab his hand and clutch it tightly, as if he would fade away in an instant if she didn't catch him.

"Ayato." The petite blonde's free hand lightly brushed his cheek, turning his face towards her. "What's the matter?"

He closed his mouth and a new, seemingly determined demeanor overcame him.

"Yuuki," the vampire called in what was almost a snarl. "You do know that staying with me is the hardest decision you'll ever make?"

"Why?" Yuuki inquired just as she was tackled down onto her pillow. She yelped before he muffled her mouth with a kiss.

"Because it means you're going to have to face a lot of pain." Ayato explained as he pulled away.

His eyes began to shine dangerously and he pushed strands of her fair hair away from her neck. She was too speechless to protest, but her body easily reacted to his beckoning fingers.

How could she describe herself right then? A willing victim.

She could not suppress an outcry when his fangs mercilessly seared into her side. Ayato was being unnaturally rough. No, he was being messy.

"Ow! Ayato – be more gentle!" Yuuki pleaded, her nerves igniting with fire. She didn't expect the vampire to flat out reject her with a simple, _No_.

Every time she tried to ask him to explain, he distracted her by increasing the pressure until she twisted in agony.

The vampirette's vision wavered as she began to lose large amounts of blood. Yuuki finally shoved him off momentarily. Never had _he _pushed her so far out to the edge ever since she experienced her rebirth.

"Why are you doing this?!"

"So you won't forget the feeling of my fangs."

That could not be. Her body had become extra-sensitive in every way ever since she had lost her human side. She was aware that Ayato already knew how to play her like an instrument. But now he refused to make any music in order to pound gratingly on the keys.

There was no way that she could _forget_ a single feeding... but these were not his naughty little love bites anymore.

"Tell me the real reason, Ayato!"

He flicked a strand of red falling down her neck with his thumb before licking the saved drop thoughtfully. "I'm going to hurt you so that everything that comes afterward won't even compare."

When he pierced her skin again, her muscles had relaxed. It did no good to be tense, but something about the sincerity of his words made Yuuki a little more speculative. Was he really doing this for himself? Ayato grew considerably stronger every time he drank her blood. Or was he doing this for _her_ for reasons she could not fathom? What was going happen that scared the joy out of him? But she could not think now – her mind too fuzzy, her body too aware of the pain.

Then she began to lose consciousness. It was an escape, really. Whenever Yuuki fell asleep on him, Ayato would stop and chuckle. "God, pancake. It's no fun if you're not awake," he would always tease before kissing her wounds. He took pleasure in his prey's reactions – made the process more stimulating or something.

Yuuki didn't hear the sweet sounds of his satisfaction this time. Instead, those two words followed her as she slipped away. The wish that she refused to grant.

"_Forgive me,"_ her dearest Ayato had said.

How could she _not_? How_ could _she? Ayato had stubbornly refused to tell her what had happened until the end. The ever-forward boy had refused to be honest. Should she really _forgive him_ for not trusting her when he was clearly vulnerable?

"... Idiot." Yuuki replied as she wiped her tears away.

A short knock at the door seized her attention. The knob began to turn before she could reply.

Hitomi entered the bedroom with Pochi, presumably returning from a walk. Yuuki's pet had immediately taken a liking to the new female resident – a fact that Shu seemed to regard with quiet envy.

"Oh, you're awake." Hitomi commented. "How do you feel?"

"Awful." Yuuki responded as she covered her eyes with the back of her hand. She felt like puking.

"Of course you do – you were totally out of it." Hitomi sighed at the vampirette's hangover. "Too bad you missed out on your chance to say goodbye."

The blonde released a confused gargle of syllables.

_Goodbye? To whom?_

"Whatever, just replenish your energy for now." Hitomi chided as she settled on the mattress. "I'll explain later."

* * *

"Are you sure this is a good idea? Don't you think it's a little mean to Koinu-cchi?"

"It'll be fine." Ayato replied briefly, gazing out the small window of the private jet.

The older triplet buckled his seat belt sighed. Somehow, the brash red head was doing a good job of suppressing his record-high annoyance.

"I could never be this cruel to her." Laito sniffled.

Even though Ayato had obeyed orders without protest, Laito disagreed with the cold manner with which he had parted from his lover. Neither action suited the boy's personality. This unusual behavior was likely a guise – an armor to protect his fragile emotional state from prying eyes.

Ayato simply wasn't being honest with himself.

"Shut up," the younger vampire snapped defensively. "It doesn't matter what you would or wouldn't do. _You're_ not her number one."

"Whoa, there. No need to get so touchy. I wasn't trying to compete with you in the first place... Why are you acting so skeptical? Think about it – if I meant to steal her away, I would have stayed behind, right?"

"I still don't see why you're tagging along with me." Ayato mumbled as he rested his chin on the heel of his wrist.

Laito smirked. "I dunno. The thrill of the adventure? Maybe I'll find some exotic creature and seduce a gorgeous Egyptian babe or something."

The hypothetical scenario was oddly specific, but completely predictable. Laito was a helpless flirt after all.

"Wasn't Egypt part of the Middle-East?"

"It's in North Africa, dimwit. You know – below the Mediterranean." The older brother pursed his lips. "Well, I guess it might be considered part of the Middle-East."

"... Anyways, it's hardly going to be that sort of experience. You won't have time to fool around." Ayato stated after an awkward pause.

"You mean _you_ won't have time to fool around. Even if I keep an eye on you, I'm free to do whatever I want while we're abroad." Laito's face brimmed with teasing amusement. "You should be grateful you have such a caring sibling."

Ayato made no reproach because the plane began to lurch forward.

The sound of the engine was nearly deafening so the two remained silent as they picked up speed. Although Ayato kept a straight face as they took off, Laito noticed that Ayato gripped the armrest so tightly that his pale fingers were sporting whiter-than-normal knuckles. Who knew that the mighty and all-confident Ayato was afraid of flying? To be fair, it _was_ their first time traveling by air.

Once the seat belt sign turned off, and their abused eardrums recovered from the rapid changes in altitude, Ayato faced his brother. "Well, there's no turning back now. Regret your stupid decision yet?"

"Hardly." Laito admitted. "There was only constant heartbreak for me back home."

"How come?"

"Ah, you're so dense, l'il bro." Laito exclaimed with a chuckle. "Didn't you know that dogs are loyal to their masters?"

Ayato's brows wrinkled in confusion. "What are you talking about?"

The vampire tilted his fedora in order to cover his green eyes, yawning in order to pretend that he had become bored of the topic.

Laito knew that his answer was dangerous. Revealing his true feelings could possibly increase the tension that existed between them, so he kept his voice light as if he was uttering a joke simply meant to irk his younger brother.

"... Even if I stayed behind, Yuuki would certainly remain steadfast to you."

* * *

A/N: Eeep! Where is our male protagonist headed? Well, until we figure out for sure... Happy New Years, my lovely readers!


	46. Loss

"Why did you let me do that?" Yuuki asked, wiping a strand of blood before it had the chance to soil her bedding. The brunette had even given her verbal instructions, such as to _suckle_ instead of _suck,_ so that the process was less painless.

Hitomi shrugged. "Simple. The safest time to be around a vampire's when they're full, remember? I'd be in more danger if you were walking around half starving."

The vampirette's gaze softened, not taking the words at face value. Some gut feeling told her that there was finally a truce between them.

Pochi barked before hopping onto the mattress.

"Hey, girl." Yuuki greeted with a smile. She massaged the puppy's ears onto it's furry skull. "You've been taking care of her while I was out of it?"

"Yeah, I like animals. Their much more honest than people." Hitomi exhaled through her nostrils. "Anyway, you should probably catch up on the current events..."

"That can wait. First, let's stop that bleeding."

* * *

"AYATOOOO~! HOW DARE YOU LEAVE LIKE THIS, YOU DAMN COWARD?!"

"Seems like it's become lively again." Reiji deadpanned as he readjusted his spectacles. He frowned at the steady stream of curses that followed the initial holler.

Kanato looked at his butler-like brother in muted agony.

"See? I told you that we should've convinced Father to wait until Yuu-chan recovered."

"That would defeat the purpose of Ayato knocking her unconscious in the first place." Reiji countered before stopping in his tracks. "Now, what are you bothering me for?"

Kanato squeezed Teddy as he averted his glance. "Nothing. It's just that the house seems a little lonely..."

The older vampire sighed. Such a reaction was only to be expected. The triplets had been never been separated since birth, after all.

"This is why you should've taken Laito's offer to go with him when you had the chance... Since your _precious Yuu-chan _is awake, why don't you keep the girls some company?"

The purple-haired boy snorted angrily at the plural form of girl. Since her arrival, Hitomi occupied most of the free time that Yuuki used to reserve for him. The part nephilim even had the nerve to shoo him away once, horrified at the idea that a teenage boy would even be allowed to dress a female. Needless to say, he only felt distrust and jealousy towards the latest member of the household.

"I bet that damned human is the one who told Yuu-chan..." Kanato muttered darkly as he exited the room.

Reiji suppressed the urge to roll his eyes, and settled for massaging his temple with a gloved hand. Yuuki's howling was giving him a headache, so he escaped to his safe haven until the raging vampirette was subdued.

Reiji didn't mean Yuuki any ill will in the least. In fact, it was quite the opposite – she had appealed to some hidden paternal instinct. Maybe that's why he secretly didn't mind taking responsibility or taking her under his wing... Maybe that's why he felt threatened by his father's apparent fondness for the petite blonde.

Really, what was Karlheinz's motives? Surely he wasn't intending to take another wife. The young man shuddered at the thought. No, his father hadn't harbored that kind of intention towards Yuuki. There was something else up the King's sleeve, but Reiji just couldn't place his finger on it.

As he pondered the political climate of the household, Reiji began to whip up something for the grieving girl. Comfort food was a surefire method of bringing Yuuki's spirits back up. Having been exposed to a stormy, adolescent, feminine mind for months, he had completely mastered how to keep "it" relatively happy. That also meant that he had more than enough opportunities to clean up after said adolescent... It occurred to him that the family probably only thought of him as a servant. The thought annoyed him.

Reiji didn't mind being useful. He just didn't like the fact that his service went unacknowledged.

A soft pad-pad-pad of footsteps in the corridor interrupted his thoughts.

"Reiji?" Yuuki's voice called out. "Are you in the kitchen?"

"Yes." Reiji quickly picked up a piece of silverware and began to polish it - a less questionable activity in his view. Cooking posed the danger of curiosity (what are you making? et cetera, et cetera) and he'd rather avoid advertising a secret soft spot.

"Oh good," she replied as she invited herself in. Kanato and Hitomi soon followed.

The corner of Reiji's mouth imperceptibly turned up in concealed amusement at Yuuki's pouting, post-tantrum face.

"Can I use the phone, please?_ And I know you guys have one..._ I want to contact Ayato."

"I'd consider letting you use it but it would do you no good. You can't reach him in Africa."

"_Africa_?!" Yuuki exclaimed.

Reiji gave a curt nod. "Yes, Africa."

"See, I told you that he was_ gone_ as in gone-gone." Hitomi uttered, not unkindly.

Yuuki slowly looked at the girl disbelievingly, then at the two brothers, and then dropped onto a stool with an air of defeat. A second later, the inevitable tears started forming in her lifeless pink eyes and she collapsed onto her arms, which were plopped on the pristine counter-top.

"There, there." Kanato mumbled as he pat the vampirette's back soothingly. The boy and the part-nephilim had taken the seats next to her.

Reiji resigned himself to the fact that the trio wouldn't be leaving anytime soon so he took out a few ingredients. He paused in the middle of the task and sniffed the air.

"Nakusa, do you have the gall to bleed openly in my sacred kitchen?" Reiji asked threateningly.

Yuuki looked up with puffy red eyes. "Oh, would you get Hitomi a bandage? I tried healing her injury after I bit her, but for some reason it didn't work."

"Heal?" Reiji repeated as he retrieved a paper towel and an ice pack to reduce the swelling.

"Ehh~ didn't you know? Yuu-chan's ability is to heal any kind of injury." Kanato turned to address Yuuki. "But I wonder why you couldn't do it this time."

Reiji set the oven before facing them again. "How long have you been able to do that?"

"Umm, I've only known about it for less than a week."

"Hmm... Maybe there are some conditions that need to be met."

"Conditions?" Kanato and Yuuki chirped simultaneously.

"Like your state of being," the young man explained as he worked. "Do you recall anything in particular?"

Yuuki spoke after a long pause. "No, I don't think there's anything noteworthy..."

The vampirette obviously needed some more prodding. "When did you discover it?"

"The night that we had waffles in the breakfast nook. You remember, don't you, Kanato? Right after we had that meeting about what to do with Hitomi... Ayato told me that it was an ability because Arachnae's poisoned bite was gone too quickly for it to be normal."

Reiji looked up sharply. "The Black Widow of the East poisoned you?"

"Hmm? Yeah, apparently. By the way, what does that title mean?"

Hitomi took it upon herself to elaborate. "Arachnae-sama was part of a special clan of vampires. You can recognize them by the metal cuff that they wear. Their daughters are usually married off at a very young age to their own relatives, but can only procreate if their husbands survive the duration of time it takes them to mature enough to bear offspring. Most of them end up as child-less widows, so it's always been a very elite and small family. Actually, most vampire groups are small and elite, so I guess that's not too special..."

"Why don't the husbands survive?"

"Young vampires just don't know how to control themselves. Use yourself as a reference. Anyway, administer enough poison and it will be fatal, regardless of whether the bitten is supernatural or not."

_Poison and pure silver are both scary things indeed._ Yuuki's logical side noted as she raised an eyebrow.

"Is there a particular reason why they'd be going around biting their own husbands?"

"Not sure. Maybe it's a family ritual or a fetish or something. Oh, but I heard that vampires consider murder the ultimate confession of one's love. Vampire poison is pretty potent but it takes awhile to secrete enough to kill an immortal. Humans like me, on the other hand, would immediately freeze up and die after a drop or two."

_And that would explain spider-chick's silence. I guess they really were trying to kill me._

Kanato steered the conversation to the previous topic. "So now that we've had that little lesson, you were saying something about Ayato's new discovery..."

"Ah, yeah." Yuuki blushed at the memory. "The first time it was by accident and I healed myself. For a moment, I felt like everything was returning to normal... I guess I felt cheered up by his company."

"Was the second time when you healed me?" Hitomi asked and Yuuki offered a small nod. "We were taking a bath together after _she_ went ape-shit and attacked me in the foyer," the brunette added for the sake of the two uninformed males.

"There's nothing similar about those two situations." Kanato commented. "This is going nowhere."

"I agree. I don't think it has to do with her state of being. Besides, you felt a lot better after you drank my blood a few minutes ago, right? If you had the physical stamina revived, shouldn't you be able to use your powers just fine?"

Yuuki had to admit that the feeding had helped bring her back to full health. Without it, she wouldn't have had the energy to complain about_ her partner's sudden absence._

"More importantly," the vampirette started, effectively cutting off their tangent. "What the hell is my Ayato doing in _Africa_?"

"Ask Karlheinz himself. Frankly, his punishments never make any sense." Reiji stated as he wiped his hands with an elegant dish cloth. And that was that...

* * *

A warm, mouth-wateringly spicy scent was wafting throughout the kitchen. The older vampire served the still simmering food and ordered the three to eat. Yuuki was reluctant to do so after her loss, she knew better than to insult the cook.

The group had decided to move into the sitting room to relax as their digestive systems operated. Surprisingly, she felt a lot better once her stomach was filled.

"Thanks, Reiji. It tasted amazing as always."

The young man folded his arms. "Good. Now that you're not a blubbering mess, I have a request."

"Which would be..." Yuuki proceeded cautiously.

"Try using your ability again."

"Huh? Okay." It was a simpler quest than she was expecting.

The vampirette moved to the part-nephilim's side and placed her hand on the injury.

"But it's not like anything's going to – Oh my lord!" At the sight of Hitomi's once-severed skin neatly patching together, Yuuki whipped her head towards Reiji with an expression of utter bewilderment. "How come?"

"I realized it when Nakusa said that it probably had nothing to do with your_ physical_ state of being." The older male tapped the side of his skull. "So I assume it depends on your mental state. I needed you to calm down before I could test my theory."

_Oh, now it all makes sense._ Yuuki thought to herself as she eased herself back into her chair. Every time she had successfully healed an injury, she had vented her frustrations by talking it through with someone. Ayato, Hitomi, Kanato and Reiji... The whirlwind of emotions had finally stilled long enough for her normal personality to shine through.

"So, basically my ability would be useless during something like a war."

"Yup. You wouldn't be able to do anything in an emergency." Kanato laughed. "We should take care to keep you sheltered and happy."

"No, that's the wrong way to go about it," a voice interrupted.

Hitomi distinguished the new arrival with a quiet, "Subaru-sama."

"Do you guys really believe that keeping Yuuki sheltered is a good idea?" Subaru asked angrily as he sauntered over. Yuuki couldn't help but be locked in place once their eyes met. "Ask her yourself – what does she really want?"

The boy's words seemed to be directed at the other three, but he was clearly intending her to answer.

"Right now? Umm... I want Ayato back." _So I can personally whoop his stupid ass._

"Ugh, what is this? A third-rate soap opera?" Hitomi mumbled to herself, misinterpreting the statement as one of thoughtless passion. It really did feel like she had entered a badly-written drama where the vampirette played the heroine to a tragic love story.

"And what does he want?" Subaru continued, ignoring the critical human. It was a silly answer, but at least it was honest.

Yuuki opened her mouth but quickly clamped it shut. What _did _Ayato want? Yuuki shook her head after a strained pause. She couldn't tell what her absent lover was thinking.

The white-haired vampire sighed. He glanced at Reiji, but the bespectacled brother seemed to have no reply either.

"I'm sure you're all aware of Ayato's plan to become King one day. Yes?" Subaru paused, as if doubting whether or not to reveal his next thought. "Right now, he's doing everything he can to achieve that goal. And I have a hunch that Karlheinz is secretly supporting him."

"Do you have any basis for that claim?" Reiji challenged for the sake of clarification.

"Nothing concrete. But that's not the point... Yuuki, what do you think about this?"

"I'm not too surprised. Ayato's told me something along the same lines," the petite blonde stated without any hint of joy. She did not share his lofty dreams of glory.

"Doesn't that prospect make you happy?" Kanato inquired. "You might become Queen someday."

"He intends to use my blood to increase his own power." Yuuki uttered breathlessly. "Do you know how scary that idea is? What if Ayato gets drunk on his ambition?"

Subaru clucked his tongue. "That's the extent of your trust in him, huh? Well, that's disappointing."

"No, I'm just looking out for him." She scowled. "And if you're planning on testing my level of faith – this is the worst time to ask. His recent actions do nothing to alleviate my fears... Besides, loving him doesn't change the fact that Ayato's downright immature."

Nobody could deny the truth of her statement. Yuuki remained realistic even when she was occupied with her romantic notions and runaway emotions.

"Alright, then let's suppose you didn't have to worry about any of that." Subaru continued. "What would you do?"

_Pfft, what a dumb question. Isn't the answer obvious?_

"Everything to support him, of course."

Hitomi piped up. "How can you help rule vampires when you barely know a thing about them?"

"The nephilim has a point," Kanato said. "There's more to the supernatural world than you've seen."

"Nevertheless, I want to stop being a burden. If that means that I have to get stronger and get more exposure – then that's exactly what I'll do."

"That's impossible if all you do is sit around and act heartbroken." Reiji stated, angering the momentarily docile blonde.

"God, you're all so negative! I beg to ask: what's the matter with wanting to be near the people I love?"

_My father, Ayato... They all get ripped away from me in the end!_

"Nothing whatsoever unless you're pulling each other down." Hitomi answered.

"Fine! I won't use him as a crutch. It's not like I can't grow without him. You're right, Subaru – I hate being sheltered. I hate being a dead weight. I want to learn how to handle myself out there rather than making Ayato cover for me all the time." Yuuki declared.

Subaru pocketed his hands. "There you have it," he called over his shoulder. "You two can stop sneaking around now."

"Ah~ ah. Our cover's been blown." Shu mumbled nonchalantly, combing his fingers through his hair.

"But I must say, that progressed much more smoothly than I had hoped." Karlheinz added as he entered the sitting room alongside his eldest son.

"Your Majesty!" the girls yelped.

"At ease, children. At ease," the Vampire King bid. "I have something to share with you."

* * *

A/N: An entire chapter dedicated to the characters discovering what the readers have basically known all along. Hurhur. I cut out Yuuki's whining/moping (which would prolong her scene with Hitomi) because that's not what's important about her.


	47. To Raise a Leader

A servant wheeled a full-length mirror into the room, placing it where all the seats had a clear view of it. When the King dismissed him, he left just as fleetingly as he had appeared.

"Nakusa, you may also leave." Karlheinz added belatedly. Yuuki seemed like she was going to protest before Kanato shut her down.

"This is a family matter," the boy whispered. "There's no need for you to include her."

"It's fine." Hitomi assured as she got up and excused herself. "I've had enough of this soap-opera for today anyway."

"Okay..." the disheartened vampirette mumbled.

Karlheinz waited until the outsider had exited until addressing the group of curious teenagers. "I'm sure the suddenness of Ayato's departure has appalled you, my dear."

_Glad we're on the same page._

"I hope you come to forgive my decision. There are many reasons for separating him from the rest of you, but I know it's a cruel concept for a young couple to grasp."

Yuuki stiffened but could not find it in herself to be angry at the father. "Then, may we hear these_ reasons_?"

_Uwaah, how bold of me!_

"Of course." Reiji perked up at the promptness of the reply.

The King addressed the congregation as a whole. "Firstly, I must come clean with you about Ayato's situation. He has been sent to what he believes is his punishment for killing three ladies in a fit of rage. Shu and I have spent the past week – in the most crude of terms – destroying any evidence. My justification for these acts is in order to preserve the secrecy of supernatural presence within the human world. As you know, this is one of the most important duties of the governing bodies, as agreed upon by vampires and demons alike."

Yuuki politely interrupted the lengthy and complicated explanation, and Karlheinz permitted her to speak.

"You mentioned that Ayato_ believes_ that he is headed to his punishment. Does that imply that it is_ not_ the case? Also, has Shu been informed of all of this before us?"

"Yes, to both inquiries."

"_Well, well... Daddy's little lap dog._" Reiji thought to himself, glowering at his older brother secretly.

"Although there is a need to discipline the boy, I have another motive which I will share with you now. I am acting in the interest of retiring soon because I have grown tired and you have come of age." The King nodded at Shu, Reiji, Kanato, Subaru, and Yuuki in turn. "I'd like you five to keep this fact to yourselves."

Yuuki looked at the others and realized that she was the only one who was actually left in the dark. Everyone else had already guessed what their father was about to say to some extent.

"This might jar you boys, but I am using this incident as an excuse to polish Ayato so that he can become a suitable King one day. Now, before you pounce at me for partiality, let me elaborate. The race for succession is still ongoing and you all have a chance to dethrone me one day. I'm perfectly aware that your mothers have been at each other's throats, but it is up to you to live up to their expectations or not."

Yuuki's face contorted at the declaration. _What a weird conversation._

"That being said, I've already privately discussed this topic with Shu at length, and he does not object to the measures that I am taking." Karlheinz paused so that his eldest son could confirm his claim. "If you wish to challenge Ayato, then by all means, get rid of _me_. Your quarrel should not exist with him simply because I have chosen to push him further along."

Once again, the petite blonde piped up. "Why Ayato?"

"I should be asking _you_ that, my dear."

"Eh?"

"I have decided to shower some of my mercy upon him in consideration for you. So tell me, why have you chosen Ayato as your partner?"

The incredibly personal question nearly threw Yuuki off guard but she held on to her composure. Yet the awkwardness was unavoidable. She couldn't blurt out any old answer since it was potentially her future father-in-law. Plus, she was the only female in the room.

_Way to put on the pressure, sir._

"How are you supposed to give logic to a featherbrained thing like love?" Yuuki began with a half-serious, half-embarrassed expression. "At first, I thought I could use Ayato for my own benefit but my impression of him started changing as I got to know him better. His brashness baffled me. His confidence in himself assured me. His mischievous nature amused me. He's always rushed to my side whenever I was in need. He's shown me a part of him that he never showed anyone else." She flushed before she gave anything else away. "In simple terms: he possessed the qualities to capture my heart. Is there a need to explain?"

Karlheinz offered a small nod. Reminding herself of the things that made her become attracted to Ayato helped lessen her anger towards him.

"The side that he's showed you and nobody else... that would be _gentleness_, is it not? Unfortunately, he's never extended that compassion to anyone other than himself. This characteristic has worried me considerably – one can not rule unless he pities his people. But after observing the two of you, I have come to hope that he can be trained into benevolence. This brings me to his so-called punishment. I have decided to send Ayato away to spend at least two years in Africa, where he will be schooled in the same method as the most influential leaders in history." The Vampire King raised and his hand and began swirling it in front of the mirror in a clock-wise motion. "I will let you see him in order to ease your mind and let him know that you are safe in turn. Please refrain from revealing what you have learned – I would like him to remain ignorant or else my efforts will have been for naught."

The face of the mirror began changing and it assumed an opaque pitch-black color. Then, light started bursting into it to reveal a blue patch of sky and what looked like to edge of a fedora. Laito's face popped into the picture.

"Hello, everyone~!" Laito greeted with a smirk as he readjusted the "camera" that he was holding. "Can you all hear me?"

"Yes, the connection is clear." Karlheinz responded. "Where is your brother?"

"Oh, he's right behind me." The view shifted shakily to the side where fluffy cream-colored boulders were attacking a flustered teenager. "Ayato! Stop playing with the sheep and come talk to your father!" Laito called out teasingly.

_Aww, they're so cute!_

Ayato looked up at their direction in surprise before scowling. He angrily stalked over to Laito and growled, "Give me that mirror."

_Oh, they were using one too? _Yuuki imagined an ornate hand-held vanity mirror that would suit Laito's image.

"Where the hell did you send me, you shitty old man?" Ayato barked at Karlheinz's reflection. "What's with all these stinky animals?"

"Don't be so rude, Ayato!" Yuuki scolded. "That's no way to address your father."

"Oh, pancake. I didn't see you there."

The casual dismissal pissed the vampirette off. She rushed over to the mirror in a fury and accidentally bumped into the glass.

"Owwww..." Yuuki mewled, crouching down to cradle her forehead.

"Are you okay, Yuu-chan?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied, wiping away a tear. "For some stupid reason, I thought that I could jump over there as if this thing was a portal."

Yuuki stood up and pointed at Ayato's blown up face with an accusatory glare.

"What kind of greeting is that, huh?! Is this how you treat your girlfriend, you jerk? How dare you fly off without telling me goodbye or anything?"

"Don't blame me!" Ayato protested, "That man made it sound like I was headed off to the depths of hell or something. I didn't want to worry you."

"That's no excuse! Do you know how mad I am?"

The boy suddenly looked off to the side and covered his mouth with a fist.

"... What was that _pfft_ for?" Yuuki asked.

"Nothing. It's just funny seeing a mini-you raging in the mirror." He tried to suppress his grin. "Sorry, pancake – I was wrong. But let me talk to Karlheinz, alright?"

"No, there's no need to talk to a shitty old man like me, is there?" Karlheinz called from behind the vampirette. Yuuki turned around to see that the others were concealing their own amused expressions.

_Ah, their mocking me again, aren't they?_

"No, no. Please explain what all the sheep is about, sir." Yuuki insisted as she stepped aside, intentionally putting him in the spotlight.

The Vampire King cleared his throat. "There was a guide with you, wasn't there?" Karlheinz inquired, making the vampirette sigh with disappointment. Was he _really_ trying to change the subject?

Laito returned into their line of sight. "Yeah, is it okay if I call him over?"

The older triplet started speaking in French off to the side and an African man joined the two vampires. He bowed his head in acknowledgment. Yuuki was awed by his hair so different from her own fair locks.

"Hello," the guide said in broken Japanese. "You are father, yes?"

Karlheinz replied in French, which seemed to relieve the African man. They shared a short discussion before the guide broke into a smile and then went on his merry way.

"What did you say?" Yuuki asked. If they had been conversing in English instead, she would not be so hopelessly lost.

"That was Ahmed, who will be serving Ayato and Laito during their stay. He has volunteered his flock and has offered to be a blood sacrifice in exchange for my financial support of his large family."

"He knows that we're vampires?"

"Yes, he's very well aware. In fact, I worked with his great-grandfather once. He was an impressive scholar – quite knowledgeable for a mere mortal. In any case, Ahmed can help those two brush up on their foreign languages as well as teach Ayato how to become a successful shepherd. His situation and resources have been quite convenient."

_So this is why Ayato's been banished to another continent? I didn't know shepherds even existed in this day and age._

"I hate these things. They just keep baa~ing at everything and it's hot out here." Ayato whined.

"Patience, Ayato." Karlheinz chided. "The deal was that I'll let you return home if you can survive this trial for two years."

The son frowned. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. It's not like it'll be much of a challenge anyway... Hey, pancake -"

Yuuki popped back into the mirror's range. "Yeah?"

"Take care of yourself."

"Shouldn't I be telling you that, idiot?"

"And don't fall for any other guy just because I'm not there."

"I couldn't forget your dumb face even if I tried."

"And grow a pair of boobs while I'm gone."

"AYATO!"

The vampires on either end erupted in laughter and Ayato handed the mirror back to Laito.

The latter waved at his family. "Bye-bye, Koinu-cchi. See you later."

"Wait, Laito. Can you do me a favor?"

The eldest triplet put down his hand, which had been poised to close the call.

"I want to watch him for a bit. Would you mind holding the mirror for a while longer?" Yuuki requested, her face still tinted pink.

"Of course." Laito settled down onto a grassy patch before turning the mirror towards Ayato, who had walked back to the flock of sheep. He seemed to be calling out orders to the innocent animals as if he was a general and they were a group of fresh recruits. Yuuki giggled at the image.

"Let us take our leave, then." Karlheinz suggested to the remaining sons, respecting the girl's privacy. When they were out in the hall, Reiji turned to his father.

"Why did you have _us_ sit through that?"

"It would have been sufficient to tell Yuuki alone, but she's more comfortable if you lot are present. In any case, it's easier for me if I don't feel unwelcome in my own home." Karlheinz looked at Subaru. "I'm talking about you, young man. I have little else to hide so don't go around doubting my presence."

"How long were you in cahoots with Father?" Kanato asked the youngest son.

"I found him and Shu eavesdropping on you guys in the kitchen and they forced me to help them out. But I did mean what I said to Yuuki."

The boys stared at their eldest brother, who simply shrugged the attention off.

"Come now, don't make him the villain." Karlheinz said. "Shu was simply being an obedient son. I'm grateful for his help."

"What are you planning on doing to Yuu-chan?"

"Yes, you've been exceedingly mindful of her." Reiji pointed out. "More than you have ever been of us."

The King chuckled. "Now, don't make me the villain either... I'm planning on raising her to be the next Queen, of course."

Kanato looked up at his father. "So you're placing your bets on Ayato?"

"No, not really. She would be Eve regardless of which of you she chose to be Adam. If any of you wish to take his place, I will support your decision all the same."

"Shu." Reiji stated, but there was no need to complete the sentence.

"I don't really care to become King." Shu answered, stopping in his tracks. "If Ayato turns out to be a complete failure, I'll take on the role as the eldest son."

"There you have it. Please support Yuuki in her training regardless of your personal decision." Karlheinz stated seriously behind a lighthearted expression. The Vampire King disappeared, leaving them to let his words sink in.

Kanato scrutinized his brothers in turn. "Reiji, what do you think about all this?"

"Another hassel." He readjusted his glasses. "I'll need to continue instructing her, after all."

"What about you, Subaru?"

"Ayato asked me to take care of Yuuki while he's gone."

"Ah, so you're loyal to Ayato now? Then, Shu... I guess you're loyal to Father."

"Kanato," Shu said lazily. "You might as well cut to the chase already. What do you want to say?"

The purple-haired boy smiled and hugged Teddy tightly. "I think it's amusing. I'll continue to watch Yuu-chan grow and Laito can watch Ayato... So, I guess I'm on the same side as Subaru."

A female voice cut into their discussion. "Are any of you going to fight for succession then?"

Hitomi had walked by, wondering what was taking so long. She had heard the discussion from the point where Karlheinz was talking about Yuuki becoming Queen and had grasped the general concept.

The vampire brothers paused and looked at each other. Subaru scratched his neck sheepishly and finally voiced their collective inner concession.

"Nope."

* * *

A/N: If you think about it, what Ayato was trying to do was pretty sweet. Of course, it was stupid of him to try to keep Yuuki from bearing his own burden but its the thought that counts lol. I'm kind of surprised at Subaru's announcement. Even if I'm the author, I kind of let my characters do their own thing half the time... I would have assumed he would compete with Ayato, but it looks like the red-head has won him over (quite a smart move for Ayato if you think about it).

Also, I've really come to like Karlheinz (which is a statement I never thought I'd say). I think it's hilarious that his "creative discipline method" turned out to be telling Ayato to hang out with a bunch of sheep. It does make sense though - shepherding is actually a good way to instill the characteristics of a kind leader. Camels on the other hand... let's just say that their excessively arrogant so their masters end up with really tough personalities. How do I know? I'm a History nerd XD


	48. Time Never Stopped

The return to school seemed to be the toughest hurdle Yuuki needed to face. The last time she had tried to re-enter society, her world had fallen apart. Now, she would be facing it again without her strongest support. Yuuki prepared herself for the worst and therefore found herself _utterly bemused _by the ease with which the world continued spinning.

Ryoutei Academy specially invited Tougo Sakamaki to address the student body, who had finally returned from the unplanned week-long hiatus, during an assembly. Yuuki watched with a small frown as a polite applause greeted him. Other than the Sakamaki brothers and herself, nobody realized that the nationally-respected man was a fake. Not in the sense that he was a hypocrite (Mr. Sakamaki always backed his words with generous acts), but in his false identity. She considered his ability to shape-shift frightening – his possession of this amiable appearance disconcerting. With this impression in mind, Yuuki decided that the Vampire King really meant no harm towards her although Ayato's continual warning had a basis.

The vampirette did, however, sincerely admire the skill with which Karlheinz's oration remained formal yet accessible. There was nothing very special about what Karlheinz had uttered, yet the way he presented his ideas moved his listeners and lightened a heavy atmosphere.

He praised the school for the "highest-quality" education it provided to its "beloved students" and expressed admiration for these "young, talented scholars." He verbally side-stepped the traumatic event of _la semaine dernière_, referring to the unprecedented disruption as a "sin committed against [their] daily life." Rather than discuss the crisis in detail, Mr. Sakamaki instead dedicated the bulk of his speech to why a holy place dedicated to the sharing of knowledge should and would be protected by society. The move was deemed inoffensive by the public. His comments meant to imply that any security issues had been thoroughly addressed and resolved, thus re-establishing the confidence of the school board. He then broke away from this broad and impersonal approach to end with a new point: Tougo Sakamaki would continue to show his "undying support" (specifically in the pecuniary sense) for Ryoutei Academy and called upon the audience to place the same wholehearted faith within the establishment. In short, the famous politician's words reassured the wealthy parents and their pampered children while simultaneously pleasing the administration.

After the special guest speaker had finished, students were dismissed to return to their regular classes.

Right away, the high schoolers were abuzz with fresh gossip: What did they over the spontaneous break? Were their summer vacations going to be cut shorter? What happened to the outsider who entered the school's premises? Was it really safe now? They were celebrities after all. Their perfectly brilliant lives should not be interrupted by some petty lowlife. Ugh, paparazzi was such a pain. Thank god Ryoutei Academy guaranteed the privacy of its students..

One petite blonde mentally shook her head as she walked by, catching snatches of these conversations. Tougo Sakamaki's speech had been gobbled up like a platter of sweet cakes served to a fat man.

_It's a source of scandal and amusement to them, isn't it? Or maybe just a nuisance._

To the rest of the world – some groupie managed to sneak into a high-profile zone and that "fact" caused an escalation of panic. Rumors of violence had simply been fabricated by over-enthusiastic teenagers while the school underwent a lock down underground. The situation had been handled by the adults and would soon be neatly tucked away.

"Psst, Yuuki!" Subaru called from the side of a hallway. The vampirette checked the extravagant corridors to ensure that nobody was paying attention before scurrying over.

"Yeah, what's up?" Yuuki mumbled. The boy pointed a thumb behind him where Shu was already waiting beside Tougo Sakamaki.

"Listen well," the Vampire King instructed. "Since we've already manipulated the records and their families have agreed to remain silent, Lady Lilith and her friends are now effectively nonexistent... I had the memories of everyone who heard the speech altered so that any mortal witnesses are unable to remember what happened that night. The only ones you three will have to be cautious of is other supernaturals. They are not so easily tampered with. Do you understand?"

The three nodded.

"Good." Karlheinz smiled. "Now, head back to your classes before anyone notices."

* * *

At lunch,Yuuki plopped into her seat with a sigh. _I'm a horrible person._ _The police should just hurry up and arrest me._

This overwhelming guilt was inescapable: how could she allow this cover up to take place without reporting it? Granted, she was in no position to be taken seriously even if she tried to unveil the truth. Not to mention that there was really no authority she could trust... But these were simply excuses, weren't they? Her conscience reminded her that she was the petty accomplice of a murderer. And the criminal that she was trying to protect was far out of her reach.

She needed to repent for her recent sins. God have mercy!

"Komori-san?"

"Eh?" She looked up to find a small group of fellow students surrounding her. Her pupils contracted in surprise.

A boy with mousey brown hair sat down opposite her and beckoned the others to do the same. "Can you tell who we are?"

"More like, _what _you are..." Yuuki responded cautiously, keenly aware that there were humans within hearing distance. "You're no ordinary bunch."

They seemed to find the answer satisfying. "You're Sakamaki Ayato-san's girlfriend, right?"

"Uhh... yes?"

"We wanted to ask you a question," one of the girls said with a very serious expression.

The vampirette released an anxious laugh. "And that would be?"

The boy continued in the girl's stead. Either he was their leader or simply more outgoing than the others. "Do you happen to know why he's absent today?"

It wasn't unusual for students to be tardy or absent on a regular or random basis. The school was aware that many of them already had blooming professions in various fields and would even encourage these breaks as long as the student maintained their grades. The vampirette knew that this policy (intended for the benefit of aspiring idols, for example) was blatantly abused by some of the Sakamaki brothers. They were notorious for skipping class... The fact that someone even bothered to ask about Ayato's whereabouts set off an alarm in her head.

"Erm." Yuuki squirmed in her seat, feeling unjustly pressured by God's cruel hand. Did she really have to participate in this knavery? "He's decided to drop out of high school."

One of the others let out a confused, "Blasphemy! There's no way his father would allow it!"

"It's not like it's mandatory education anyway." Yuuki said with a slightly defensive air. "Ayato's just studying abroad."

"And what about the others? I only saw Shu-senpai and Subaru-san today."

"Laito's gone with him, but Reiji and Kanato are suspended for another week."

This was news.

"For what?" the boy with the mousey brown hair prodded.

"They didn't follow protocol during the lock down or something..." Yuuki bit her lip. It was a white lie but it still didn't feel right. "I'm not sure – I went home early that night."

The group stared her down with a hint of skepticism.

"Then," the first girl began slowly, "I guess you wouldn't know what happened that night."

Yuuki decided it was time for her to extract some information herself. "Actually, can you tell me about it?"

They hesitated before the brown-haired boy decided to relinquish their side of the story in a low voice. "First, let me apologize for our behavior. It's hard to speak freely in these conditions." He gestured at the students who were blissfully consuming their lunches and conversing at the other tables.

The petite blonde nodded.

"We're not really a group of friends but we know each other. These guys here are demons and vampires. And you are...?"

"Vampire." Yuuki confirmed. "I was originally a human though," she quickly added before anyone questioned this shocking development. They had the politeness to avoid dwelling on the details of her transformation.

"Last week, we felt an immense power inside the school. You see, I've never felt anything like this presence. There's no way I can accept an explanation conjured by a mere human. This was no harmless otaku – it was a violent spirit..."

Yuuki stiffened. "And...?"

"I was hoping you'd fill us in on that. None of us were able to see this for ourselves, but this presence felt like your boyfriend... the monstrous version of Ayato-san."

"You would do well to avoid accidentally slandering the son of the Vampire King." Yuuki hissed. The group started at hostile manner that overcame the docile blonde. It was like a house pet that had transformed into a beast the second they sensed a stranger walking by their master's home.

"May I take this to mean that _something_ did occur that night?"

"No, but I have no control over your imaginations. If this provides fodder for your fantasies, by all means, write a book on it." Yuuki took a deep breath to calm herself and offered an apologetic smile. "Look, I only meant to warn you guys for your own good. I'm not against general curiosity nor a proponent of censorship. Your assumptions are dangerous simply because they doubt powerful people." Her sweetness dissipated once more. "However, don't you dare insult Ayato. Ever. Calling him a monster would be a direct attack on me by association. Now, if you'll excuse me..."

"Komori-san," the boy with the brown hair called out as he stood up.

Yuuki turned around and pushed an unruly lock behind her ear. "Yes?"

"You're much more interesting than one would assume at first glance." The boy bowed and the others followed his lead. This action caught the attention of some of the other students in the cafeteria and they paused their discussion in order to spectate. "Thank you for listening to us and for answering our invasive inquiries to the best of your ability."

The vampirette blushed furiously. "Not at all! Raise your heads, please." When they proved slow to obey her plea, she responded with a bow of her own. "It was nice to meet you. In case we ever have any further business with each other in the future, I will be in your care."

Yuuki's standardized reply dissolved the momentary silence and the humans resumed their own activities. Since her reaction was bland, they must have had an equally bland discussion. That Komori-san was probably just trying to make a few friends now that Ayato-san wasn't monopolizing her company. Good for her... Yes, she seemed like a nice girl - not a particularly fascinating one. There was nothing to fuel further attraction to the situation.

As the petite blonde escaped the cafeteria in concealed haste, a new thought occurred to her.

The mortals didn't care. Time would keep ticking and this discussion would eventually be forgotten as easily as Nakusa's existence. Case closed.

* * *

A/N: This is the official end to this particular arc (it took a _lot_ longer than I was expecting to get here lol). It's lacking much of the sarcasm I love but Yuuki needs some down time before she gets back into shape. Sorry for taking so long with this chapter, but there's a chance that I may be moving in February so I've been pretty busy as of late. The next one should cover what happens during Ayato's absence if I can pace everything correctly.


	49. Evolution

The library was an ideal place to brood; a room with the character, the scent, and the air of a person wishing to be left to their own devices. Dawn only seemed to exemplify these traits.

Yuuki didn't feel like returning to her bedroom after a long night at school. Besides, the soft sunlight streaming through the shutters of the study's windows invited her to immerse herself in her own thoughts.

At one point in semi-distant memory, Ayato's shenanigans would wear her out before she ever had the chance delve into illustrious texts. He was either sleeping or stirring up trouble somewhere. Internally, she chuckled at the irony of the situation. Yes, something like reading was far too dull for the excitement that always followed him.

_I bet Ayato doesn't even have the patience to finish a children's picture book._

The girl's finger trailed over the spines of a row of novels before she randomly paused at a satisfyingly fat volume. She pulled it out and settled down, turning the immense pages absently. Her eyes didn't focus on the letters that, if she bothered to read them, described some dull topic at great length.

_Honestly, as if a flock of sheep can teach him how to be patient. What are they? Learning lambs? _

The image of Ayato's fluffy "army" popped up in Yuuki's head.

_God, why are you so darn endearing without even trying?_

A small smile appeared on her lips before fleeting with a new train of thought:

_Oh, Ayato... Why didn't you just tell me what was on your mind? Was a simple "goodbye" so hard to say? Couldn't you bear my tears for one measly moment? I know it would only make you feel guilty, but that's no excuse..._

He planned to hurt her so that everything that would come afterward wouldn't seem as painful. She felt like congratulating him. Ayato's plan worked so well that Yuuki felt like a numb shell whose hollow insides where left ringing with the aftertaste of his last touch. Maybe he did it all out of consideration for her; however, his thoughtful reasoning seemed faulty, his sincere apology seemed flippant.

_Have you forgotten? Your actions speak louder than words, Ayato... There's no way I can marry you now._

In essence, he had failed "the test" that all young ladies pit prospective partners against.

Yuuki really wished that she could wholeheartedly defend her lover's misguided behavior. Even if she ignored the deaths of her tormentors (she had long decided to leave it up to the supernatural authorities to save herself the moral headache), Yuuki couldn't guarantee that Ayato properly valued her. How could he? The poor boy didn't understand what it meant to be a single half-of-a-whole.

_We were supposed to be equals. We were supposed to rely on each other._

He never bothered to lean on her yet Yuuki was left dependent on him. She was sure this was all fine and dandy from his point of view but Yuuki was a 21st century woman. She demanded all the authority a wife had over her husband as unwaveringly as she expected, and looked forward to, granting all the respect the husband deserved from his wife.

No. Ayato definitely did_ not_ have the maturity to handle that kind of a serious commitment. Logic told her to toss him away now that he proved inadequate but Pathos wept at the idea. Her heart was far too attached to be able to cut the ties so ruthlessly. If only she didn't love him so...

Yuuki realized her glaring mistake. All along, she had molded their relationship into a boyfriend-girlfriend bond. This was the worst thing she could have ever done. Crushes and useless flings were_ meant_ to lead to heartbreaks. What was the point of such a vicious cycle? Nothing whatsoever.

If romance was so useless... No, that was wrong. Romance was _not _useless. If it were, marriage would possess little merit. Could she discover the secret to its purity?

The vampirette began to pick apart the essence of what she knew about that ever-elusive happiness between two people bounded by a social contract. She thought about the radiant and the listless couples who visited her father's church, where the community came together to confess sorrows and share words of wisdom. There were plenty of epigrams for the subject of concern. Yuuki took these cliches and tried to find comfort in them.

_Well... "Marriage is falling in love with the same person over and over again." If I must eventually fall in love again, that means I must have fallen out at one point, right?_

Once upon a time, Yuuki and Ayato were two puzzle pieces who fit each other perfectly. Unfortunately, he had grown an extra tab, so it was up to her to develop a slot for him or not.

The state of affairs was clearly laid before her. There were two paths she could take now that she had found herself "out" of his sphere: let him drift away and end it when she could still look back on these memories fondly or... or take the measures to embrace one another when they were back within reach.

Did she dare accommodate?

* * *

Reiji and Karlheinz found Yuuki soundly asleep in the library, emitting gentle puffs every so often.

Crouching down, the younger vampire lightly shut the large book in her lap. The title caught his eye because it was composed of roman alphabets.

"_A Detailed History and Explanation of Quantum Mechanics_? No wonder she fell asleep."

"Does Yuuki know how to read English?" Karlheinz asked, thus far believing that she was only fluent Japanese.

"Not at this level." Reiji replied curtly as he put the book aside. "I'll carry her up to her room."

"No, don't disturb her." The King removed his cloak and laid it over the girl as a blanket, then he went about his own business.

"You seem particularly fond of Yuuki," the son ventured after a few minutes.

"Hmm? Ah, yes. She's a special little thing."

This declaration only increased Reiji's quiet anxiety. "How so?"

"My boy! I hoped you'd have noticed her qualities after taking care of her for so long."

"No, that wasn't what I meant, Father. I am perfectly aware of her character." The young man readjusted his spectacles. "I shall be more direct – why do _you_ take such care with her?"

Karlheinz smiled wryly. "Currently, she's the only existence that has power over me."

* * *

Yuuki awoke around noontime and spotted the two others sitting in the library away from her. Her book had been replaced by –

_Wait... is this the King's -?!_

"Umm..."

"Ah, good morning. You can just leave that there, my dear. I'll pick it up later." Karlheinz said before Yuuki could return the cloak.

The vampirette nodded and reopened her reading material, planning to leave the room after an appropriate amount of time passed.

_Ugh, I don't get any of this._

Yuuki sighed as she closed the book and tossed it onto the coffee table before flinging herself back on the chaise. Karlheinz smiled with mild amusement at her display but Reiji clucked his tongue disapprovingly.

When inquired about whether the novel was to her liking, the answer was an obvious negative.

"I just can't imagine how I'm supposed to spend my life like this." Yuuki whined with a childish air. She could afford to be so lax with her manners as she had grown comfortable with the elder vampire's presence over time. "It's like I'm plagued by boredom."

"Ah, yes. Boredom is something that Cordelia feared greatly." Karlheinz commented. "I hope you aren't taken in by a similar frivolous mentality. It caused her to become to impulsive and flighty."

The vampirette grimaced at the memory of the his first wife. "Don't worry. I've taken her words with a grain of salt ever since I've been purged of her influence." Yuuki caught herself. "Oh, actually I did wonder about this one thing. Cordelia claimed that you wanted to die."

Taking Karlheinz's silence as evidence of his concession, she continued. "Then wouldn't that mean you're also bored of living?"

"I am a victim of tiredness, not boredom. Certainly, death is an interesting subject with the ability to cure either of these symptoms, but it is not something to be taken lightly."

"Sir, you haven't a trace of fatigue on your face!" Yuuki jested. "However, I too will be tired someday. When that happens, will I be allowed to desire the end I expected as a former-mortal, or would that wish be a sin against God's will?"

"My dear, you are far too young to have a jaded outlook on life. Eternity is a gift if you use it well. Do you know why I find mortals admirable? They struggle valiantly for no other reason than the short time they have at their disposal. We, on the other hand, tend to be suffocated by the great expanse of immortality. I believe we should be trying to live with the same vigor as humans. Be grateful towards your God. You've been fortunate to be blessed with such generous opportunities." Karlheinz paused before adding, "Master an art form, my dear. Once you have done so, move onto another. You might believe that vampires exist to wreak havoc upon humans but that could not be further from the truth. You are in the best position to both enjoy yourself and help those you meet."

These words affected Yuuki in ways she could not describe. To remain negative would be utter folly.

Taking the King's advice to heart, the vampirette began applying herself to every discipline she could think of. There was not a field that she would leave untouched, a stone that she would not turn. But even she, the orphan girl granted immortality, couldn't grasp the intricacies of the world without some help...

Karlheinz encouraged her to learn the art of diplomacy and of etiquette. Stressing the importance of communication, Yuuki found in him a companion for lengthy conversations. They would debate contemporary issues and discuss the ins and outs of history. His endless wisdom and wit proved to be the two characteristics that could charm anyone and anything. There was no wonder his wives wanted to monopolize his attention.

Shu, in the rare moments when he felt inclined to do so, introduced the sensual world of music to her. If he felt especially cranky, Yuuki would purposefully bother him. This would usually lead to him sharing an earpiece while telling her to _shut up_, and the vampirette would obediently listen to whatever was on his mp3 player in silence. If Shu happened to be less-than-lethargic for a minute or two, there was a chance he'd show her how to play a few keys on the piano. Slowly but surely, it became easier to coax him into these lessons. He always pretended that she was bothersome, but secretly took pleasure in the eager pupil's earnestness.

Reiji taught Yuuki the practical studies such as the maths and sciences. Granted, these were the subjects that she already learned at school. By continuing to tutor her outside of the classroom, Reiji set her up for material success. His diligent instruction gave her the extra edge necessary to excel in her grades while balancing all the other extracurricular activities she had taken up. He told her to refrain from juggling too many things but continued to support her scholarly interests nonetheless.

Kanato shared the fine arts with her in nearly all it's forms. Since Kanato had only recently begun his creative journey, they discovered untested waters together. A dedicated spare room became his studio, where Yuuki re-established her role as a constant presence by singing along with him as he worked. Kanato eventually told her that she was his muse. This greatly pleased her and they spent many happy hours deliberating which shade of green would best compliment "coquelicot" among other aesthetic crises.

Subaru continued training her physically through a balanced mixture of martial arts and sports. He himself possessed very limited amount of experience since he was the youngest. Despite this, Subaru was able to instill the basics of healthy exercise although it was impossible to transfer his brute strength. Yuuki had always skipped out on gym classes because of her anemia, so it was the first time in her life that she physical exerted herself until her muscles ached in protest. But Yuuki was thankful for the change that both her transformation and the training allowed her. She took a special personal pleasure in taking the Nightmares out for a ride and knew that everything else would gradually follow.

Hitomi warmed up to Yuuki's tenacious personality and often offered practical, sometimes harsh, advice. In a household full of men, the vampirette found immense relief in a female presence. Once, Yuuki overheard Hitomi calling herself a handmaid. The petite blonde quickly corrected the brunette – she was her_ lady-in-waiting_, not some lowly servant. By elevating the part-nephilim's uncertain status, Hitomi's prospects opened up as Karlheinz immediately took measures to educate the girl as befitting of her new position. Hitomi soon became just as busy as Yuuki. Thus, the former found herself garnering both respect and gratefulness towards her new mistress.

(And Pochi... well, it offered her all of its loving attention and loyalty.)

None of Yuuki's pursuits could be "perfected" within any modest period of time. This was the charm of the eternal journey she committed herself to. She would not be considered an expert anytime soon, nor would she dare to call herself one until she spent lifetimes towards the cause. However, with every passing moment, Yuuki grew more confident and it was evident in the way she carried herself. The general public even began to take notice although she was once just an extra name in the class roster.

Looking back, Karlheinz's words inspired a simple desire to prove herself - the need to distinguish herself in order to make that one special person behold her evolution...

Finally, she could become a suitable bride worthy of her ambitious lover.

* * *

A/N:

_The Good:_ Hey, look at all these beautiful alliterations! Seriously, I don't know how I got away with so many.

_The Bad:_ I totally couldn't pace myself DX (I know, I know, the flow here's really quite awful. My apologies.)

_The Excuses: _After reread some of the last few chapters, I realized that Yuuki would become excessively shallow if she accepted Ayato's disappearance without complaint. However, I didn't want her to continue placing the blame on other people and factors out of her control. Yuuki was made to be a trooper, so I want her to take the circumstances she's been placed in, internalize the negative energy, and convert it into something positive. Continuing on with her life completely unaffected would also seem unnatural, so I ended up rambling and somehow got to Yuuki's training-to-be-a-Queen a tad too early.

Oh, and "semi-distant memory" implies that there's been quite some time between the last chapter and this one. That being said, I made the first half of this addition chock-full of doubt and resolved it neatly within the same chapter (meaning that AyatoxYuuki is still canon in this fic). The follow up will likely include a few short stories before we near the conclusion. Yes, I'm desperately grasping for an end, my dear readers. It's been a pleasure.


	50. Companions in the Cold

Yuuki rarely felt lonely unless all was still – usually during a silent hour when she stirred from her slumber to muse, yet again, that her bed was disproportionately large in comparison to the solitary girl it housed. She never expected to miss Ayato's perverted habit of slipping underneath the covers in order to imprison her small body within his hold. Even if she asked for Karlheinz's permission to converse with Ayato, a reflection on the mirror could never replace his physical presence.

These moments of deep sorrow never lasted long. Luckily, most of her hours were spent in happy learning. The buzzing of activity within and outside of the mansion kept her mind off of the pitiful aspects of her life, allowing her to revel in her natural personality... Yes, sulking didn't suit the bold and passionate girl.

However, worshiping God in quiet reflection did.

Yuuki began to visit the quaint chapel a mile away from the isolated estate. It helped her reconnect with a spiritual side that she had long neglected. There was never any service as it was quite hidden from society, but was always open for any strangers who happened to come by. The empty hall became a retreat that reminded her of her roots and of her absent father. The prayers that her lips mumbled in hushed tones evoked a sense of humbleness in her. There was an odd juxtaposition between the fact that Yuuki could be considered something of a demon-child although she continued to love her Creator.

Christmastime passed by but she was the only one who rejoiced within the household. It pained her to see that the holy day had become a mere commercial event. She turned down the chance to go see the lights put up for the occasion. Instead, Yuuki spent a few hours alone in the cold, vacant chapel and only left when she realized that it had begun to snow again.

Oddly enough, the mansion felt warm with Reiji's soup waiting to welcome her. Something had changed in the dynamics of the household since she had first run up these very steps. Now, it was a "home" to return to.

The vampirette felt no rush to justify why these trips were important to her nor explain how they gave her a mental peace. The others came to learn not to question it either. They reasoned that "everyone needs a break now and then" and left the petite blonde to meditate as she wished.

* * *

Most vampires tended to lose count once they reached three digits. Even though the princes were still considerably young, the Sakamaki family rarely participated in the festivities associated with birthdays – they never got along well enough to celebrate. However, the boys decided to do something special for Yuuki, who had stayed with them long enough for them to assume that she had turned eighteen. (Tthe vampirette's adoptive father always put the turn of the New Year as her alleged birthday in any official papers. Nobody was a hundred percent sure of her true birthday since she was an orphan since infancy and had no relatives nor documents to vouch for her.)

Reiji brought out a gorgeous cake and divided it into seven portions. Although Yuuki accepted this generosity with pleasure, she felt a profound longing... It was a strawberry shortcake. The same kind that she had made for Ayato all those months ago.

Ignoring a pang of sadness, Yuuki looked around the room. She noticed Subaru, who was munching on his slice in silence, and smiled to herself. Sure enough, a pure silver rosary now hung around his neck where a golden-bronze key used to reside. Since he was not at all religious, the pendent seemed to hold only a decorative purpose. Only she knew the secret behind it.

The rosary was made out Subaru's most precious memento from his late mother. He was everything to Christa. She pushed him away because he was a reminder of her misery yet pulled him close because she had indeed loved him. Yuuki taught him this truth that his young, undeveloped mind had previously failed to recognize. Therefore, Subaru rarely complained about lending his time and energy to the blonde. For his company and tutelage, she was eternally grateful.

* * *

Yuuki's weekly routine included drinking some of Hitomi's blood to sate her ever-growing thirst. The former found it hard to interact with anyone at school if she was parched. Of course, the unwilling vampirette and the unwilling human only agreed to do this because they understood it was a necessity.

Apparently, Karlheinz and his sons found controlling themselves a much easier task. Yuuki was purposefully left unaware of the other blood sacrifice who resided with the servants of the mansion. The men of the household kept their source a secret from her because, unlike the prized sacrificial brides, this young creature was obtained from the dark trade of human trafficking. It was born and would die within the frame of 21st century slavery – a concept that the gentle-hearted Yuuki would never be able to accept.

One time, Hitomi went to feed the dog and found it nuzzling a crop of fair hair that popped out of a mound of bedding, where Yuuki lay wrapped up like a pink cocoon. The blanket was heaving and soft sobs could be heard. Out of the tiniest ounce of pity within her heart, the brunette ventured to comfort her.

"Yuuki-sama, what's the matter?" Hitomi asked as she pulled the blanket out from underneath the smaller female. "Are you feeling cranky because you're hungry or something?"

The question came out more accusatory than she had intended it to be. It couldn't be helped that she detested vampires.

"Not especially," the blonde mumbled as she instinctively cradled herself into Hitomi. The former now understood Ayato's pleasure at the warmth of a human. The latter tolerated the vampirette's ticklish nibbles on her neck where neat, little bite marks were rapidly healing. She accepted her status as a lesser being because Yuuki at least decided to treat her like a person unlike Lilith's possy or the Sakamaki brothers.

Being unable to leave the great estate wasn't as bad as Hitomi expected it to be. She was usually left free to explore the mansion at her leisure and there was much to discover at length. Hitomi carefully observed the family in silence in order to live in relative peace alongside them.

There was one thing that she had learned so far: their world had come to revolve around Yuuki for one reason or another.

Hitomi also realized, to her own dismay, that she would be willing to die for her new mistress. This feeling she kept to herself. If anyone ever chanced upon her secret affinity, Hitomi would firmly deny it with a snarky, biting comment.

* * *

Yuuki took a deep breath and released the arrow. For a second, she thought the projectile would meet its target before it veered way off course.

"That's the fourth one you missed, Yuuki." Subaru called out in exasperation. "You're making rookie mistakes."

The vampirette frowned as she pushed away a strand of hair that had fallen out of her ponytail. "Then show me what I'm doing wrong! Not to mention I _am_ a rookie."

"Ugh, you were supposed to be copying me. Weren't you watching?"

"What are you? _Japanese_?" Yuuki sighed as she lowered her weapon.

"Duh." Subaru muttered as he approached her. "What's that got to do with anything?"

"Never mind. I was referring to an essay I read a few days ago." She nocked another arrow.

"Go on..."

"It compared education in America with what you were just doing, which is trying to make me figure this out by myself after observing you."

The vampirette paused realizing that he still didn't comprehend her meaning.

"Y'know. A quintessentially Japanese method," the girl elaborated, waving her free hand expressively. This explanation was enough - Subaru, of course, was culturally aware of his own country's Zen values and philosophy. "Anyway, I came to prefer the Westerner's overall mentality." Yuuki concluded once his eyebrow sufficiently unwrinkled.

"Pfft, you do realize that _you're_ Japanese, right?"

She blinked slowly. "I'm an exception to the system in every sense," the female responded nonchalantly before taking her stance. "Might as well be considered a foreigner."

"There you go again," the boy cried suddenly. "Your stance is terrible. Here-" Subaru moved closer to fix her posture, gently pushing her limbs to the proper positions. He verbally gave directions so that she would know how to do so herself. "Straighten your arm like this. I showed how to hold the arrow... There you go. Now draw... What are you giggling for? Concentrate!"

"I'm trying, but your breath's tickling my ear!" Yuuki protested.

"Try harder." Subaru sneered playfully with his nose hovering just above her temporal lobe.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say." The vampirette drew her bow. "Like this?"

Subaru nodded.

This time, the arrow hit bulls-eye when she released it. Yuuki smiled triumphantly and turned toward her mentor. "Uwaah, I did it! Thanks, Suba-"

_Close. Too close._

"-ru?"

"NOW KISS."

The petite blonde turned towards Hitomi's direction from where the demand came from. The part-nephilim was crouching on the ground, lazily flaking off a thin layer of frost that had accumulated on top of the wooden planks as she watched her mistress.

"Why the hell would I do that?" Yuuki bristled. Subaru coughed awkwardly and stepped away.

"Aww, come on. You missed your chance." Hitomi teased. "That was the perfect opportunity, you know."

Yuuki pulled out a new arrow from her quiver. "Perfect opportunity to cheat on my boyfriend? No thanks."

"Well," the brunette continued with a laugh, "I think Subaru-sama is a great replacement for Ayato-sama. They're both equally good-looking, you know."

"Subaru-_sensei_, will you please silence this distraction?" Yuuki implored sarcastically with the same level of good-humor. "Oh, but don't hurt her," she added absently.

"Eep!" The girl stood up clumsily to flee before Subaru appeared in front of her, blocking any escape. Locked in his grip, Hitomi made a final plea for mercy. "Subaru-sama, I was just joking. I won't talk during your lessons anymore so-"

Yuuki ignored the two and focused on the target that seemed to be taunting her once more. She tuned out everything except for the awareness of her body and the bow in her hand.

The arrow flew through the air with an ear-splitting "_fwhip_" and it landed on the outer most ring of the target.

_Close enough._ Yuuki shrugged and turned back to find Hitomi hanging limply from the boy's arms, which held her in a steadying embrace.

"Yuuki, I think she fainted." Subaru stated coolly, referring to the girl who would've fallen to the ground if he had not bothered to catch her.

The vampirette gawked. "What did you_ do_?"

"I kissed her."

For some reason the blunt and unexpected response made her snort with laughter.

"Wha~t?" Yuuki asked with a grin. "Why did you do _that_?"

"It shut her up, didn't it?" Subaru grumbled as he slowly laid the passed out part-nephilim on the cold floor.

_Bwahaha, you're just going to leave her lying there? I swear, Ayato would have done and said the same exact thing._ She shook her head in disbelief._ I guess picking on us maidens is a family specialty. Maybe it just runs in their blood._

The petite blonde held out her bow as if expecting him to take it.

"Do you like Hitomi?" Yuuki inquired as he walked over.

"Hell no."

_Oh, what a shame._

He reached out for the weapon. "You don't want to continue?"

"Nah, I'm good. Archery seems pretty useless. Don't get me wrong – I'm not saying I'll _never_ bother to pick up the sport. I just don't think I want to waste my time since I have more important things to learn at the moment."

"Such as...?"

"I mean, if Karlheinz wants me to learn how to use a weapon – shouldn't it be something like a gun? Besides, you're no expert, Subaru. I don't think you've mastered archery yourself."

"No, I haven't." Subaru admitted. "But I've been undergoing some decent training of my own while you're busy with other things."

"Oh, really?"

"Yep. _That man'_s hired professionals from various athletic fields to help me hone my skills."

"Hey, shouldn't I be learning from a professional myself?"

The boy shook his head. "Nope, you're stuck with me for a while longer."

Yuuki removed her shooting glove. "How come?"

"Because, Yuuki, imagine what would happen if one of those guys accidentally discovered that you were a vampire. One touch is all it takes for a human to realize something's wrong, you know."

His logic appeared sound. Physical training meant that she was more prone to being revealed – stretching, examinations, etc. all required a certain level of contact.

"Why do they have to be human? Just hire supernatural tutors."

"That's fine for _me _since everyone already knows the identities of the six princes. But we can't have you interacting with them at this stage. You're not out into vampire society yet and my father wants to keep it that way until you're ready to be formally introduced."

"You mean a debut?"

"Exactly."

"I'm afraid I've already botched the King's plans. I'm pretty sure all the non-humans at school know about me by now."

The male looked up sharply. "Say that again?"

Yuuki shrinked away from Subaru's gaze, expecting him to blow up at her. "I told a few of them that I was a vampire... Should I not have done so?"

The youngest son nodded thoughtfully. "No, it couldn't be helped. We knew there was a good chance of this happening but don't go around advertising it, okay?"

"Okay."

Subaru exhaled deeply and examined the equipment in his hands. "So should I tell Father that you want to learn how to use fire arms instead?"

"No, Subaru, there's no need. It's not within my capability to hurt somebody unless its for the sake of defense... My ability is to heal. I'm not supposed to destroy lives – I'm supposed to save them." She paused. "I don't care what supporters of national security may argue, but guns are lethal objects that can only harm others."

At the boy's silence, Yuuki hobbled over to Hitomi and lightly pat the brunette's cheek with her knuckles. "Oi, Sleeping Beauty. Time to get up or you'll catch a cold."

When the part-nephilim came to, she couldn't seem to remember what had made her faint in the first place.

Hitomi put a hand to her forehead. "Ugh, for a second I thought I was drowning."

Yuuki helped the girl up and looked at her oddly. After a moment, the vampirette faced her mentor with a resolute expression.

"Subaru, teach me how to swim. If Ayato can get over his fear and do it, then so can I."

The vampire visibly stiffened, a change that the chocolate-skinned girl instantly picked out.

"... Don't tell me you don't know how to swim." Hitomi surmised with a theatrical manner. When Subaru made no response and instead looked away to conceal his shame, she grinned broadly. "Yuuki-sama, forget about him. I can teach you when it gets warmer."

Yuuki raised an eyebrow. "Why do we have to wait that long? They have an indoor pool, you know."

"They do?!" Hitomi gaped when the blonde nodded. Yuuki found the reaction fairly amusing since she could relate. "Phew. They weren't kidding when they said Sakamaki-sama was filthy rich. Don't get me wrong - Lilith-sama had a pool and all but _definitely_ not an indoor one."

The vampirette turned towards her mentor. "Speaking of which, doesn't it hurt Tougo Sakamaki's reputation if he owns such a large estate? Wouldn't the general public suspect his character?"

"Our family's owned this property for ages so nobody's going to think he's involved in some shady business for "inheriting" it. We have the money to sustain a mansion and therefore we have every right to live here."

Yuuki sucked in. "As expected from a pampered rich kid. You're just _entitled_ to royal treatment." She shrugged. "But I guess nobody would bother coming all the way out here just to complain that this country lacks space."

"_You're_ here, aren't you?" Subaru smirked before disappearing.

"Oof, he just _had_ to get the last word in, didn't he?" Yuuki said as she linked arms with the other girl. The blonde always walked on the side of the glass eye in order to avoid blocking the part-nephilim's limited vision. "Hitomi, don't fall for guys like that. They're dangerous."

The advice struck Hitomi as very odd. "Why would I fall for somebody like him? He's a vampire."

"Ara, what's this? You're the one who was calling him good-looking a few minutes ago if my short term memory doesn't fail me."

"So? Physical appearance don't change anything – Lilith-sama was _smoking_, but she was still a bitch."

"Hmm..." The two young ladies strolled to the mansion. "Then why were you pushing me to go for him?"

"No particular reason. You two seem relaxed around each other... I guess it's a matter of compatibility."

"Am I not compatible with Ayato?" Yuuki inquired.

"Maybe but I wouldn't know. Anything that happened involving you two always ended up leading to tears or drama or violence or something. Subaru-sama seemed like an alternative."

"I'm sure Subaru just thinks of me as a high-maintenance older sister."

"Oh Lord." Hitomi sighed.

"What?"

"Nothing," the girl said, waving the now-curious vampirette off. It wasn't like Hitomi could provide a definite answer. She herself wondered what the vampire brothers truly thought of Yuuki.

"Wha~t?"

Hitomi stopped in her tracks and pecked Yuuki on the cheek. The latter barely had any time to register what occurred.

_Eh?_

"Just getting rid of Subaru-sama's taste. Don't mind me."

"So you did remember!" Yuuki cried accusingly, fingertips brushing her offended feature.

_And you're even using the same tactic to distract me, huh?_

"You kept talking about him until I was forced to recall it. There's only one feasible reason why this conversation would even take place – if you were trying to get us together. And why is that? Well... you get the picture. Something must have happened for you to come up with such an outlandish idea."

The part-nephilim pocketed her hands although Yuuki was still clinging to her elbow.

"Forget winter, though. All of you vampires are so cold!" Hitomi declared with displeasure. "Do people really fantasize vampire romances? What kind of an idiot likes chilly bodies anyway?"

The blonde laughed as they marched towards the front door, a wet layer of snow crushing into a slush with every step. The darker of the two grumbled about "goddamned frozen skin" and other faults along the way.

"Hitomi." Yuuki bid as the girl began to turn the knob.

"Hmm?"

"I might be an ice maiden, but _you_ were very warm."

Hitomi searched the other's face in silence before emitting a neutral, "That so? It was less than platonic, you know."

The blonde smiled knowingly. "Yup."

It was an exchange that others wouldn't necessarily understand. Yuuki was thankful for Hitomi's non-verbal gesture of friendship. In return, Hitomi accepted Yuuki's gratitude. This was enough for both of them.

Pochi tackled the two girls as they entered the household.

"Waa~gh! Wait, girl, wait!" Yuuki yelped. "Let me take off my coat first."

The mutt wagged its tail furiously as it removed its large paws from their stomachs.

"You've gotten so heavy, Pochi. Dogs are so not supposed to grow this quickly." Hitomi whined as she untangled herself from the heap. She turned towards the vampirette, who had recovered faster. "Umm... Yuuki-sama, are you not wearing a bra today?"

"Uhh... My chest was hurting earlier so-" Yuuki looked down to see why it was a problem and gasped. She quickly pulled her coat back on with a flushed face. "Woops. Thanks for the warning, Hitomi. I should have known better than to go out with only a blouse on."

"Yeah, don't fret. Nip slips happen to every girl now and then." The part-nephilim pushed herself up. "But that's good news for you, right? The fact that it's aching means you're still developing."

"Is that it? Oh, thank god. I was worried if I had cancer or something." The vampirette pat the area underneath her collar. "I thought I stopped growing since I'm almost an adult... Ayato would be pleased to know otherwise."

"Do you do everything with him in mind?" Hitomi asked, rolling her eyes as she pet the energetic Pochi.

"Eh?" Yuuki chewed her bottom lip thoughtfully. "Um, I guess I do. I feel like we've become a cohesive unit. Everything that happens to me affects him, vice versa."

"Dear Lord. I could never sacrifice my individuality like that."

_Excuse me?_

"Although I can't deny that being single is pretty awesome, I wouldn't necessarily say that our relationship restricts me more than it allows me to mature. I wouldn't call it a sacrifice, really."

"I've been in servitude for so long, I've developed an allergic reaction to anything that tries to hinder my freedom. Just saying."

"No, I get it. There's always been something of a power imbalance between us." Yuuki admitted sadly after a moment.

"Then why bother working so hard for him? He's not here to boss you around. It's the perfect time to move on."

The blonde shook her head. "I could never dump him in such a heartless way. It's too cruel to not do something like that in person."

"At least you're finally opening up to the possibility."

"Hold on. Hitomi, you've totally got the wrong idea here. Ayato's important to me and I'm not planning to end our relationship anytime soon. Frankly, I'm trying to do the exact opposite... Not to tempt Fate or anything, but I'd be willing to bear a bigger burden for his sake." The vampirette ran her hand threw her hair and decided to add another thought. "And I'd really appreciate it if you'd stop teasing me about his little brother. It makes things awkward between us."

"Hmm..." Hitomi exhaled through her nose. "If you really feel that way, I probably should apologize for my insensitivity earlier. "

"Apology accepted. Now, come on. Let's go find Reiji and demand a steaming hot pot for dinner. You too, Pochi."

* * *

A/N: More stories to come during the Absent Ayato Arc. I feel so bad for Laito, though – he's been effectively forgotten.

Mainly focused on Hitomi/Yuuki's growing comfort with each other with this installation. I'm going to be moving up the ladder (of the household) until the two brothers return. And yes, female friends talk about weirdly intimate topics and constantly cover for each other when it comes to things like wardrobe mishaps. And no, Hitomi is _not_ a candidate in Yuuki's reverse harem here lol. However, as Yuuki once said, "if this provides fodder for your fantasies, by all means, right a book on it." This site in particular houses plenty of crazy fanfiction so feel free to go wild with your imagination.

Edit: Made some considerable changes to this chapter (aka making the conversations more believable) and realized I haven't updated in nearly a month. I'll be sure to get the next installment up as soon as possible so thanks for waiting =)


	51. Conquering a Final Fear

The part-nephilim was casually splayed out on her bed when Yuuki walked into the room.

"Um, do you have any swimsuits I could borrow? I don't have any," the petite blonde called out sheepishly.

Hitomi all but dropped her book onto her face as she abruptly sat up with a flabbergasted expression. She couldn't imagine that the vampirette could conceivably have anything _left_ to want.

Both girls were acutely aware of the fact that the Sakamaki household showered Yuuki with generous abundance. If the wealth was her own, not a second would have been lost in its distribution to the less fortunate. As was the case, her hosts would be insulted if she threw out their gifts and so Yuuki settled for passing some of them onto Hitomi instead.

Although the part-nephilim insisted that these gestures meant nothing to her, Yuuki could tell that they pleased her companion. Little by little, she intended to chip away all of the girl's existing hostilities. The blonde knew the difference between self-inflicted house arrest and forced imprisonment more than anyone. She would do anything to lighten up the brunette's life-long days spent in captivity.

"Not even the school one piece?" Hitomi eventually gawked.

The vampirette shook her head. "First of all, I never learned how to swim so it wouldn't make sense to get one. Secondly, I was exempt from athletic activities due to my weak health. The school doesn't know that I've gotten better."

"Alright, let me rummage through my stuff. By the way, a lot of these are hand-me-downs from Lilith so don't expect me to find something your size."

They had received a few boxes filled with Nakusa's old things soon after Ayato and Laito departed. These belongings had been relinquished as a matter of convenience. The parties involved in the Ryoutei murder scandal and its subsequent cover up could, of course, easily afford to dispose or purchase clothes. Sending them to Hitomi simply helped eliminate the traces of Lilith as well as save the royal family the annoyance of providing for an unwelcome resident.

"It's okay, I can make a few alterations." Yuuki answered, settling into an armchair as she waited.

"I didn't know you could sew," the girl commented as she shuffled through her closet.

"Yeah. Funny story – I learned from a guy who still doesn't know how to use a needle properly."

"Haha, what? How did that happen?"

Yuuki shrugged. "Kanato didn't have enough patience to sew by hand. Eventually, he just had Reiji order a machine so that he could still make things without having to rely on me."

The brunette pursed her lips. There had been some recent tension residing between her and the middle triplet. Hitomi avoided him if she could help it.

"Oh, here they are." Hitomi pulled out a tub filled with swimsuits and lingerie that she never used on a regular basis. Turns out Lilith had _quite_ a collection. "Judging by the size, these should be her old ones."

The chocolate-haired female held up a bright, neon bikini with a teasing smile. "Hey, what about this one?"

"God, I am definitely not wearing something like that!"

The blonde glanced at the display and realized that cup size and level of risque correlated positively. "How old was Lilith when she wore these?" Yuuki asked, picking up an innocent, white ruffled tankini.

"Why did I guess that you would choose that?" Hitomi paused and sighed to herself before saying, "Probably when she was about ten."

"Okay, now I just feel depressed."

"Take heart, Yuuki-sama. Technically, that wouldn't suit you if it wasn't a tankini. These are probably a better fit."

"Should I try them on?"

"Be my guest."

A few minutes later, Yuuki emerged from behind the privacy panels nearly in tears. "Hitomi~ there's no way I can wear something this embarrassing. What if one of the boys see me?"

"Oh, hush. You used to let Kanato-sama dress you."

"B-but Kanato is innocent."

"Humbug! He's a hormonal young man just like the rest of them. A predator at a moments notice in every sense of the word." Hitomi warned with heavily implied meanings behind every syllable.

_Yeah. A young man who's likely been traumatized by the idea of s-e-x since he was a child... He'll be the last to ever take advantage of anyone._

"I'm sure you don't see Laito-sama and Ayato-sama as pure, now do you?" Hitomi continued.

"That's different. They're blatant perverts who're probably fooling around somewhere halfway across the world... It's not like I can do anything about it."

Hitomi raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, fine! Kanato's my stylist. Got a problem with that?"

"Nope. Not at all, Yuuki-sama." The part-nephilim chuckled at the sight of the vampirette anxiously looking at herself in the mirror. "You look fine."

"Are you sure this isn't too much skin?"

"Milady." It was what she called Yuuki whenever she was losing patience and couldn't find it within her to add the respectful _-sama_. "For a girl raised in a church, you've always shown more leg than some would consider appropriate. And everyone in this house has seen you wear a sleeveless shirt before. Relax."

"Alright, I'll go with this then. You pick one too and we'll go to the pool."

"Already?"

"Would I be borrowing yours instead of buying my own if I intended to do this some other day? I want to start practicing now that I have some free time, so come on!"

* * *

"KYAAAH! Hitomi, no! Not the deep side, please!" Yuuki shrieked as the brunette pulled her through the pool.

"Stop struggling, milady." Hitomi replied between annoyed strokes. "You'll be fine. You've learned how to float already."

The term reserved for moments of utter exasperation failed to suppress the pupil's panic.

"Okay, okay – I've been cheating," the vampirette fibbed in desperation. "You probably noticed that I had a foot on the ground back there, right?"

"Liar. What are you so afraid of anyway?"

"Drowning." Yuuki deadpanned.

"Pfft. It's not like you'll die in any case. But if you keep dragging against me than there's a likely chance THAT I WILL... Just hold onto my arm."

The vampirette tried to reign in her splashing. "Let's just practice on this side for now."

"Of course not! Weren't you the one who begged me to teach you? Where did all that enthusiasm go, huh? Stop resisting already or I'm going to call it quits. You're being unreasonable."

Yuuki hiccuped at the scolding and resigned herself to the lesson... Her logical side began to laugh at her.

* * *

A/N:

Hey, guys! I know I've been gone for a long while since I've last uploaded a chapter. My world's recently been flipped upside down because of the sudden move and so I couldn't seem to get to it. Let me just say that uprooting oneself and settling elsewhere is not the easiest thing to do. I hope everything calms down within the next two months. Thanks for patiently waiting for me in the meanwhile.

I have actually planned out the rest of the story by this point and all I have to do now is write it down. This here's more of a transition chapter setting up for Kanato's character wrap up. I realize this is mostly written in Hitomi's POV (which is unfortunate because the original characters are inherently far more important) but there's a particular reason why I'm hammering the fact that her presence is important. Fear not - I'm ensuring that everyone has adequate time to be addressed and I've realized that there are plenty of chapters to come.

_Note to my previous readers:_ After much deliberation, I have decided to make a few significant changes to Yuuki's known back story in previous chapters as summarized here...

Yuuki was adopted by a priest who raises her as if she was his own child. (Since she is likely of European descent, there were no known relatives to take her in.) She is told her birth parents, who passed when she was only an infant, were good people but little else. With a very weak constitution, Yuuki had to undergo surgery a few months prior to the story. At this time, Richter donates Cordelia's heart because he realizes Yuuki has the ideal conditions to house it before the soul dies along with the recently-killed body. Further angered by this betrayal, Karlheinz takes measures to secure Yuuki as a sacrificial bride to be protected by his sons until he can return home.

When Yuuki finds her father's diary (which had been given to Sakamaki to hold on to), she scoffs at the words that say that he loves her. Why would he send her to such a horrid place if he did? Laito claims that the church willingly gave her up, but Richter later reveals that her father has no idea about the awakening. Comforted by this knowledge, Yuuki continues to believe that her father truly cares for her. She prays for his safety and good health from afar and occasionally made a few failed attempts to contact him.

During her episodes of depression, she pines for her lost family. The Sakamaki brothers help alleviate this pain by keeping her emotionally and mentally busy (something of a distraction).


	52. Identity Crisis

Kanato yawned as he made his way towards the entrance of the manor. He felt too cranky to go to school since he was busy painting during the day, when the colors were best perceived and applied. Before he knew it, sunset had come and gone and it was time to leave.

"Ah!" Yuuki's voice cried out some distance away. "Sorry, Hitomi! Can you hold my bag for a second? I left something in my bedroom."

He entered the hall just the vampirette had just rushed out, leaving her companion waiting at the top of the grand staircase.

Kanato frowned at the part-nephilim's back. Some sort of anger began to reignite within him as he expertly looked over the dark youth with an eye of an artist and a predator.

He wanted to hurt her. He wanted to crush this insignificant being that followed Yuu-chan everywhere like an annoying fly.

Without realizing it, Kanato began to take small, padded steps in the equally-unaware target's direction. Hitomi glanced over her shoulder just as the boy prepared to push her down the stairs.

"Kanato-sama!" Hitomi gasped. She moved away from him before adding, "You surprised me. What are you doing?"

It was an understated reaction. She felt threatened by his very presence. The others always regarded her with a cool indifference in passing, but he always went out of his way to sneer at her whenever Yuuki wasn't watching.

"Tch." His glower pierced her very soul with the singular feelings of a trapped mouse. "Looks like we've been caught, Teddy. Should we go ahead and continue anyway?"

"Continue what?" Hitomi asked with a shaky voice.

"I _wasn't talking to you_!" Kanato suddenly snapped, causing her to flinch.

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry..." She remained quiet for a moment and began to wonder why he continued standing there. "Oh, I'll wait for Yuuki-sama. You should go down to the car."

"Who the hell are you to suggest what I should or should not do?" Kanato muttered in response. "Pah, what insolence! You seriously think you're good enough for Yuu-chan?"

The part-nephilim didn't respond.

"It's obnoxious, really," he continued at her silence, taking a step closer. "That face you're making isn't cute at all."

"I wasn't trying to be cute." Hitomi said while wearily moving back until she was stopped by the railing.

"See? You can't even do that much. How worthless can you be?"

When she finally opened her mouth, Yuuki's voice was heard instead.

"Kanato."

The boy turned around with a broad smile on his face. "Ah, Yuu-chan! We were ju-"

*SLAP*

"How dare you act like such a bully? Grow up will you?!" Yuuki demanded angrily as he gingerly touched the still-stinging cheek without a word. The vampirette addressed the brunette with concern etched on her face. "Are you hurt?"

"... Yuu-chan..."

The blonde ignored him and waited for the answer to her last inquiry.

"No, I'm fine." Hitomi replied with a fidgety glance between the duo.

"That's good." Yuuki's stance relaxed and she moved to retrieve her bag. The vampire started at her gentle tone.

"Why? … Why do you care so much about a thing like her?" Kanato began softly. "Don't you see she's manipulating you? She's _using you_," he continued with increasing volume, "for comforts _she doesn't deserve_."

"Hush, Kanato. Hitomi has every right to live here in peace. This is the smallest repayment I can afford to give her."

"Nonsense! She has _no_ right to an _ounce_ of your pity. She's human! She doesn't belong here!" Kanato roared.

"That's precisely why she's my special charm. She's the only one who can remind me of my own humanity on a daily basis."

"Yuu-chan, you don't_ need_ to try to be human again."

The vampirette scowled. "You can't ask me to willingly forget a crucial part of myself, Kanato."

"I'm not telling you to be different. I'm telling you that we're enough – you don't need her."

"What are you acting all jealous for?" Yuuki retorted with a biting edge. "You know very well that I don't play favorites - I'm not like your mother."

"You sure as hell act like you're my mother sometimes!" Kanato roared back. "Telling me to grow up and shit as if you'd be proud of me and all."

"Of course I'd be proud of you. Anyone would."

"No, only _you_ think like that. You believe that a good mom should act like that and you're trying to be a substitute for _that woman_. Well, _you can't_." The boy took a deep breath to calm himself down as he noticed that angry tears had threatened to fall from her eyes. "But neither of us need that kind of pretense, do we? We don't need fake human friends either."

"... They're not fake just because they happen to be human, Kanato. You're acting racist."

"Don't kid yourself, Yuu-chan. We're two capable vampires and you know that. Stop trying to deny what you really are."

"I'm not denying it, am I?"

Kanato shook his head at the rhetorical question and pointed accusingly at Hitomi. "See this blood bag here? That's literally all she's good at being. Open your eyes, Yuu-chan. This is no friend – this is food. When we're out _there_, we pretend to get along with _them_. But the second one of _them_ crosses into this estate, they're fair fucking game. Even Father's just letting you delude yourself with your little acts of justice towards her. She's simply a toy to pacify you." His hand dropped. "Don't tell me to grow up, Yuu-chan. _You_ need to grow up – not me.

_Says the one holding a teddy bear_.

A tense pause followed his rant.

"I'm so ashamed of you, Kanato. I really am." Yuuki finally said with grit teeth.

"Ha?"

The vampirette trembled with a complicated mixture of anger, hurt, and guilt. "I thought you had changed but I was wrong. You're just the same as when I first met you."

"Did you really expect me to become a different person, Yuu-chan?"

Pink eyes widened when she realized her own argument had been turned against her.

"That's dumb of you. You're smart enough to know better," he stated matter-of-factly but his demeanor had softened considerably. "Sure, we're friends now and a lot of things have happened but you're trying to make a miracle happen. I'm a vampire at my core, Yuu-chan. I've always been a vampire. You can't ever change that."

Again, Yuuki fell silent. She approached Kanato and hesitantly reached up, caressing his cheek apologetically.

"You're right," she said and Kanato smiled before her gaze hardened once again. At the close proximity, the intensity of the glare kept him from being able to move a single muscle. "BUT that does not justify your behavior toward Hitomi. She has been nothing but loyal to me ever since she came here." The pupils dilated once more. "At the least, can't you be good to her... as a favor to me? It's not too much to ask for, is it?"

Broken from her spell, Kanato peeled the smaller hand off. "It _is_ too much to ask for."

"How come?"

"You can tell me yourself, Yuu-chan... What am I to you?"

Her answer was promptly given. "A dear friend, of course."

Kanato sighed and pulled her into a loose hug. "As much as I love you, Yuu-chan, that's not enough to convince me to suppress my primal feelings."

He pulled away when Reiji called out their names from the doorway. "Yuuki, Kanato! We're going to be late!"

The warning reminded the duo of where they were.

"Come, Yuu-chan." Kanato bid as she turned to face him again. "Don't worry, I won't hold a grudge against you..."

The vampirette offered a small smile before waving goodbye to the sole audience member of their quarrel, and finally exited the building. As Hitomi and Kanato passed by each other, the latter muttered his final words to Yuuki darkly.

"... I won't let a petty thing like_ this_ worm it's way between us."

* * *

A/N: Ayyy! What did ya think of that unexpected development? Has Kanato gone insane? Has he gotten cooler? Or has puberty finally hit?

Personally, I'm really happy with how this chapter turned out. It's like my thank you gift for you lovely readers.

So here's a little explanation to why I've decided to do this conflict in such a dramatic manner.

1) Out of all the brothers, Kanato has been the only one to openly and singularly antagonize Nakusa because she directly threatens his role in Yuuki's life. They are both meant to be companions that look up to Yuuki. However, it's clear that while Kanato kind of worships her and places her on a pedestal (for example, I've hinted that she is his creative muse), Hitomi merely respects her quietly (Yuuki embodies the bravery that she can only meekly attempt on occasion).

2) This was a good chance to rid the parent-child dynamic that Kanato and Yuuki were beginning to fall into. Although Yuuki is perfectly happy with this kind of relationship, she failed to register Kanato's feelings as young man. It's only a natural development - children will eventually mature and try to leave the nest. It's folly to try to hinder that process... Thus far, Kanato has stunted his own psychological growth with his refusal to leave his comfort zone. He clings on to his childhood toy, doesn't go along with his brothers (who are closer in my version because I like pretending that triplets are inherently bonded together) which would mean leaving his home behind (aka the metaphorical nest), and prefers remaining in the safety of a maternal figure (aka Yuuki). I think Kanato's an extremely interesting character once you look past the unpleasant factors and it would be a shame to leave him as a dependent "little boy" while everyone else moves on.

3) All throughout "Rebirth", there's only one thing about Yuuki's behavior or thought process that positively irks me: time and time again, she tries to refuse her fate as a vampire. She was literally depressed about the fact that she's immortal (which, to be fair, is a logical reason to despair). _Even when she's actively drinking blood,_ she tries to deny the fact that she is a vampire. My goal is to help her cope with this unnatural dimension, but in the meanwhile, it's fun to poke at her hypocrisy and make her cringe in moral pain. Ahh~ The joy of writing.

Anyway, I hope you didn't find Kanato's sudden urge to use expletives _too_ offensive. Toodles!


	53. Fatigue

Feeling nauseous, Kanato ended up sleeping through most of his classes.

The vampire finally felt the reparations of his chronic insomnia in the form of a physical crash. Sure, he'd sported dark circles for years – at one point they had even become a signature feature of sorts – but Kanato never felt that catching fewer z's than his brothers was ever much of a problem. Neither did this bad habit necessarily interfere with his life... primarily because he was a creature of the night who grew up without a regular bedtime.

Besides, his mind was always on blissful overdrive – constantly observant, constantly needing some sort of stimulation, constantly becoming bored with one game and constantly moving onto the next interest.

And there was one particular "game" that never ceased to amuse him. He lavished his waking hours on women, albeit in an unconventional sense. Kanato reflected that he was indeed the _hunter_ and that they were truly his _game_. Women, otherwise known as the ever elusive race, served as a pleasurable enigma for him. A source of sustenance and mystery wrapped in one beautiful package.

Kanato fully appreciated every feature of his prey. He was both puzzled and fascinated by their emotions, especially when they were exceptionally terrified. His then-perverted thrill might have been an outlet for his malnourished curiosity.

And there were the other neglected needs, of course. Even with those twisted hobbies to occupy himself, Kanato never really got over his frustration and lack of company. He wished to play all day with his brothers but happened to be denied that right. Denied to do so by Cordelia, the mother that he once loved above all things. The mother that he had always tried to please in his small, childish ways.

Yet, she failed to tuck him into bed because she had gone to another bed and he, in turn, failed to fall asleep...

And yes, there was came a time when he stayed up because sleeping just didn't cut it. It had driven him mad. Everything about his situation had driven him mad. He had time to spare, and so he turned into a spend thrift. He wasted his minutes on momentary fetishes and only found a few things deserving his steadfast loyalty. In his ecstasy and finding something worthy enough to bring close to his heart, he became obsessed. Back when he didn't have art – when he didn't have Yuuki – he didn't have much to live for...

Back then, living wasn't such a tiresome feat...

* * *

"You were acting like Ayato today," Yuuki teased sympathetically as she lent him her notes. Despite Kanato's assurance that he wouldn't hold it against her, the thought of their fight still weighed heavily on her mind. Her easy smile just barely veiled the turmoil hidden behind.

"Thanks, Yuu-chan. I'll look at these later." Kanato mumbled while retreating to his room. He collapsed onto his bed – face first – after lazily dropping his things onto the floor.

The exhausted vampire took a deep whiff his black sheets before rolling onto his back and covering his eyelids with the back of his hand. As the days grew warmer, morning arrived faster. It was only a matter of minutes before sunlight would begin to stream in and disrupt his peace. The fact that his respite would be interrupted by another medium barely occurred to him.

The vampire groaned both out of his momentary relief and distress.

"You don't look so hot," the part-nephilim commented. She was leaning heavily against the open door's elegant wooden frame.

"What do you want?" Kanato asked with an air of utter distaste.

"Oh, I couldn't possibly expect to receive anything from you, Kanato-sama. I came here to ask what _you _want." Hitomi replied half-sarcastically, instinctively bristling at his unconcealed hate.

"Well, aren't you getting cocky," he noted bitterly, still unmoving from his position. After a pause, he sighed, realizing that he didn't want to waste the energy to harass her.

"Go close those curtains... I'm getting a headache." Kanato finally stated and he proceeded to mask his eyes once more. She didn't budge, hesitant to actually enter the bedroom. "Don't just stand there. You're the one who offered your services in the first place."

Hitomi wordlessly obeyed. When the deed was done, she looked around the now-darkened room. Toys were splayed across the floor and she was surprised to see Teddy amongst them. It had been discarded along with the vampirette's notebooks, which were now laying in a heap beside the bed. The girl wearily moved toward the stuffed object and picked it up before studying the fatigue-stricken vampire, utterly bewildered by his unusual behavior.

"You dropped your -"

Her words were lost in a gasp when Kanato suddenly grabbed her wrist and yanked the bear out of her grasp. The vampire had become alert all at once.

"Never," he sneered quietly, "_touch_ Teddy."

"I-"

"Silence!"

The command seemed redundant – his menacing glare stifled any possible response. Kanato tugged her closer until she fell onto his bed. He kneeled on his mattress in order to tower over the frightened part-nephilim.

"You dare invite yourself into my room while I'm in a bad mood, _disturb_ me, and then try to look so scared and harmless? Are you stupid? It's like you're asking to be hurt." Kanato continued, carefully enunciating every single threatening syllable. "Don't complain if I decide to replenish my energy. You should've expected it."

Hitomi cringed as he bit into her. His unkind fangs held no ounce of mercy, unlike Yuuki.

Yuuki... Oh, sweet Yuuki would cry at the sight of these two who hated each other.

Kanato tilted his helpless victim backward until she hung off the side of the bed and blood gushed into her head. Losing her sense of balance, Hitomi desperately reached out and grabbed onto the back of Kanato's uniform. A moment later she found herself pulled back up as Kanato hastily let go of her.

The vampire grimaced as he licked his messy lips.

"Why'd you do that so suddenly?" Hitomi asked breathlessly as she added pressure to the cut with her thumb.

"Why'd you grab me like that? You're seriously creeping me out." Kanato countered wearily. "Don't tell me your some sort of a weird-ass masochist trying to achieve a world record of injuries inflicted by a vampire."

"No, I'm not." Hitomi denied. "But you're right about one thing – I did intentionally let you bite me."

"Yeah right. Stop making it sound like I couldn't unless you allowed me to." The male shifted backward and settled comfortably onto his mattress criss-cross applesauce. The blood seemed to improve his temper just slightly. "So? Aren't you going to tell me why?"

Hitomi chewed on her bottom lip silently before speaking. "Do you normally ask?"

"Either shut up or drop the attitude." Kanato growled. "I'm still pretty cranky and haven't been fully satisfied yet. _So spill it_ while I'm playing nice."

His pun did not go unappreciated.

The part-nephilim sighed. "I was hoping to apologize to you, Kanato-sama. And this is about the only way I could think of doing it."

Kanato frowned. "For what?"

The dark-skinned female paused at the inquiry. A look of horror at some fresh memory flashed briefly on her face.

Now the boy was interested. He prodded her on. "Don't make me repeat myself. I know you're too proud to willingly let others drink your blood, although your consent doesn't really matter either way."

"Proud? I've lived with vampires my whole life, Kanato-sama. I've stopped caring if they decide to bite now and then."

"You're a goddamn liar."

Hitomi exhaled sadly for a second time. "I know. Lilith-sama at least openly treated me like a piece of shit and I nearly idolized her... Yuuki-sama... She pretends that I'm some sort of misunderstood angel."

"And that's worse?"

"Yeah, it is. Now I feel guilty."

Kanato kept silent at this but seemed dissatisfied with the answer in some way.

"I was the reason you and Yuuki-sama fought today." Hitomi explained. "I can bear to be hated by the world. All I have to do is hate it back. But it didn't sit right with me when_ she_ looked like that and I knew that I was the cause."

Now it was the vampire's turn to feel a little scared. Threatened even. "Then what are you apologizing to _me_ for?"

"She doesn't think I've done anything wrong but you do." The part-nephilim scrutinized Kanato's expression. "It only makes sense to say sorry to the butt-hurt party."

"Then you should have performed a dogeza instead of tricking me into drinking your dirty blood."

Hitomi hesitated before taking her hand off her injury. It had been awhile since she truly remembered the pain of being a vampire's prey – Yuuki had always healed her immediately. She cursed herself for falling into a sense of comfort as she strained to properly bow to him. Kanato began to laugh when she finally accomplished the humiliating task.

"Bwahaha! You did it, you really did it!" He wiped away a tear. "You really are stupid, aren't you? I wouldn't have forgiven you either way."

Hitomi eased back up into a sitting position. "I didn't expect you to forgive me in the first place," she deadpanned. "It's enough that I made the attempt. Well, then, Kanato-sama... Goodnight. I hope you feel better."

"No, you don't. You wish I'd just die here from exhaustion."

"I'd certainly prefer that but, unfortunately for me, it's unlikely. A cranky vampire is not a very pleasant prospect either." Hitomi offered a wry smile. "So for my sake, please get some quality rest, Kanato-sama. This way, it would be peaceful for the both of us for at least a handful of hours."

"... Wait, I'm not letting you off the hook so easily. Get back here."

Hitomi stopped. "Why? So you can drain the rest of my blood?"

"No, you still owe me a favor but Yuu-chan will be pissed off at me if I killed you on a whim. Besides, it's bad manners to partake in the blood of another vampire's prey without asking. I won't drink anymore."

The part-nephilim detected no deceit in his manner. He looked drained and seemed to be reaching out for one potential comfort. Hitomi wondered if she felt any pity for him, for this was the one state of being that she understood intimately.

A pregnant silence followed his promise. Finally, the girl spoke.

"Yes, Kanato-sama?"

* * *

A/N: So, I think DiaLover made it pretty clear that vampires do indeed get tired and are not invincible despite having eternal lives. Also, I thought it would be fun to talk about Kanato's dark eye circles. Don't know why it popped up really. I just saw a picture of him as a child and figured he's probably experienced some long-term sleep disorders.

I was planning on extending this chapter but decided to shove the rest of this discussion to the next one. Also, I haven't updated in a pretty substantial period of time and realized that giving you guys a little something-something is better than nothing at all. Pray that the rest of this move goes well and that my time is freed up for more writing ;)


	54. Rivals in Love

Hitomi sat unmoving but her mind was frantic. How had they ended up here? She didn't dare shift a muscle. She dreaded the moment when the vampire would awaken.

Again, their current situation plagued her. She had expected a death sentence when she had walked into the room – even hoped for it to some extent – but she hadn't expected something like_ this_.

Certainly, Yuuki often decided to use Hitomi's available lap as a pillow. Yes, the action itself was a common, nearly everyday occurrence...

But this was not a service she was willing to share with _Kanato _of all people. Of all hated, hurtful, evil vampires – why _him_?

Hitomi frowned as she looked down on his sleeping face. He seemed to be having some mildly unpleasant dream and his thin brows were slightly crinkled in distress.

If her fear of him was not so profound, she might have taken the moment to observe her enemy with a "less objective" mindset. Hitomi would have noticed his dainty, almost feminine lashes, the soft manner with which he breathed through his nose, the exact shade of lavender that haunted the skin under his eyes, and how his bangs fell onto the fabric covering her thighs. So different from the calming, tender features of her beloved mistress.

But these traits were not part of the picture that Hitomi conjured. She was too busy debating whether or not this would have been a nice time to dispose of the immortal had she possessed an adequate weapon.

Soon, the dark youth tired of these dark thoughts. Hitomi sighed and relaxed her stiff posture despite herself. She looked down again in order to see if the motion had bothered him.

No. He was still out like a light.

But the sense of sorrow on Kanato's expression had deepened. Hitomi stopped herself from patting his head to soothe him – a gesture that had been casually bestowed upon Yuuki on multiple occasions.

"Don't do anything unnecessary," the girl whispered to herself as she clenched the hand that hovered above him. She lightly punched the mattress beside her with the fist. "Or else you'll only hurt _her_ again."

"Hurt who?" Kanato mumbled back. When he didn't get a reply (the part-nephilim was momentarily rendered mute in astonishment), the male slowly opened his eyes. They took a minute to focus on the figure above him.

"Oh." Kanato blinked a few times in quick succession before rising up and off of her. "It's you."

"Huh?" Hitomi finally exclaimed. "Who else would I be?"

With his back turned towards her, she noticed that his hair had flattened against his skull where it had rested on her lap.

"I thought you were Yuu-chan for a second there." Kanato yawned as he ruffled the matted hair.

"... I look nothing like her."

The vampire looked over his shoulder. He turned around and fell forward a little until their foreheads bumbled against each other. The girl's breath caught. She felt violated just being near him.

"Yeah, but you smelled like her." He closed his eyes and sniffled. "Must be the shampoo."

"But I thought you could smell my blood? You must have known I was human."

Kanato pulled back, much to her relief, and shrugged. "I wasn't paying attention."

The male stared at her for a second before reaching out and poking the cheek below her glass eye, which was partially covered by her dark chocolate locks.

"I admit it was a silly blunder on my part. You're no way near as beautiful as her..."

_So__ it__'s __practically__ impossible for anyone to __mistake__ you for her. __I just happened to be half asleep. _Kanato's condescending eyes told her.

The girl maintained her silence. She would not deny the statement.

"But this," the boy continued, tapping on Hitomi's cheek for emphasis, "is the only thing you have that's worth anything."

He considered reclaiming the glass ball – it would only take one swift motion to gorge it out cleanly. His own distorted reflection on the emotionless pupil stared back at him.

"Ahh~ why did Yuu-chan make me give it up? It's wasted on you."

The part nephilim frowned and brushed his hand away, not unkindly. "Oh? You seem to give them to plenty of others."

Her words evoked a sinister grin.

"Yes, I gave them to many girls. But they were beautiful in death. As you would be."

Hitomi didn't flinch. She would welcome death when it came to take her. Her only regret would be leaving the immortal vampirette behind.

"Yuu-chan is special, though." Kanato mused, almost as if he had read her mind. "She will always be beautiful... especially in life."

"You seem to be pretty fixated about that. Y'know... if something's beautiful or not."

He laughed. "Of course. I am an artist... Yuu-chan is my muse." The mirth left him. "And _you_ are an eyesore..."

Hitomi would have instinctively taken a step away, but as they were on the mattress, she simply fumbled backward before freezing in place. There was no point in running now.

Kanato brushed lilac bangs out of his glare. "You know, I take it back. You wouldn't achieve true beauty even in death. I always take great care with my corpses, but you don't _deserve_ that kind of attention... Tell me, then - why? Why does my Yuu-chan spend so much time with something as disgusting as you? You hurt her. You guys tried to _kill _her."

At this, the part-nephilim swallowed painfully. She couldn't offer any excuses. He didn't want to hear them anyway.

"I know I did. And I hate myself for it." Hitomi shook her head. "But you hurt her as well and Yuuki-sama forgave you."

Kanato's glower softened. "Yuu-chan is a goddess who would not hold back her mercy for anyone, even trash like you. I don't blame her for it – it's something I love about her."

"Do you_ really_ love her?" Hitomi challenged, irked by his contradictions. "Then how could you say such terrible things to her? You have no idea how much it hurts Yuuki-sama. I'm a piece of shit who means nothing to her – it doesn't matter what kind of nonsense insults I spout. But _you_! … You mean _so much_ to her..." The girl choked on a sob. "You don't know how jealous I am."

A single, back-handed blow threw her across the bed.

"If you get it then SHUT UP, BASTARD!" Kanato cried angrily. "You – jealous?! I'm the one who's _fucking jealous_!"

Hitomi groaned as she righted herself against the black pillows at the headboard. A trail of blood from her hairline trailed down her face. Thankfully, the glass hadn't shattered upon impact.

"Don't you ever question how I feel about Yuu-chan," he roared. "I love her more than you can imagine!"

"Ugh... You're insane, Kanato-sama. That's not love. It's an obsession." Hitomi corrected as she wiped her bruised lip.

Kanato paused. "Hmm... You could call it that. Yes, you're right. It _is_ an obsession." He smiled as he shuffled toward her. "You might not be as dumb as I first thought."

A pale hand gently grasped her collar and lifted her up into a proper sitting position.

Kanato leaned close to the part-nephilim.

"You see, I like to preserve beautiful things," he whispered. "I preserve time in art. A person in a painting will never grow old. My mannequins will always remain young and pretty..."

His free hand pushed her dark bangs out of her face. It effectively removed the shield in front of her eyes, so his unpitying stare could remain raw and uncloaked.

"It might not be obvious, but we vampires do age. Slowly. Over many lifespans. But I don't want Yuu-chan too change _too _much during that time. I want her to stay perfect and unmarred... At least untouched by human hands."

"Why?" Hitomi croaked. "It's not like she'll become dirty because she's come in contact with her natural prey."

Kanato sighed. "You don't get it do you? Yuu-chan is sacred. I told you before, right? She's a_ goddess_ to me. And something as mundane and lowly as you has no right to come so near to someone so divine."

The girl reached out and grabbed the vampire's hair.

"And you?" Hitomi sneered as she shoved his face closer to her own. "_You_ have the right to touch her?"

"No. I won't be the one to soil her." Kanato replied, unfazed.

"Oh? Then who will? It's unlikely she'll remain like this forever. Yuuki-sama is determined to grow in anyway possible."

"No matter. I suspect she will surpass every other creature alive," he said matter-of-factly. "Only someone who can rise to be her equal is worthy."

A shudder ran down her spine at these words and her grip on him loosened.

"And would that be Ayato-sama?" Hitomi asked softly.

He snorted. "Maybe..."

The part-nephilim had finally begun to quake. He knew it would have taken an enormous amount of self-restraint to have suppressed her fear and outrage thus far and wondered what had triggered this reaction.

"Why do you shiver like this?" Kanato inquired in a milder tone.

"You brothers are truly evil." Hitomi murmured sadly. "This is why I hate people, especially vampires. You just love to hurt us, and hurt us, and hurt us..."

"Us?"

Her lashes fluttered in uncertainty as if she was about to utter a secret. "Yuuki-sama, whenever nobody's looking, always looks so heartbroken. It's his fault, I swear."

"Ayato?"

"Ayato-sama. His father. You."

"Me?"

"Yes, you. The whole lot of you. Me included." A teardrop began to form in the part-nephilim's one good eye. "Do we really love her, Kanato-sama? If we did, why do we fight like this? It tears her apart, you know."

The words seemed to pierce Kanato.

"Can't we come to a compromise? Must this go on?"

"It's unfair to be forced to share Yuu-chan anymore than I already am." His hand dropped from her throat and he sank onto his knees. "Unlike _a-__certain-__pest-__I-know_, I don't cling onto her like a leech."

"What are you saying, Kanato-sama? You cling onto her just as much as I do. Actually, you try to monopolize her."

He shook his head gravely. "No. I have to share with my brothers. _We_ are equals... or at least, we _were_."

The words were more revealing than the girl realized. The purple-haired boy had become very lonely over the past year without his two brothers. Kanato spent a lot of time wondering if staying back had been a mistake. At the time, all six sons still maintained a fairly tense relationship despite their common ally. He had never imagined that their absence would affect him and now came to regret his former naivety.

The vampire looked a lot older as he said, "None of the princes would be denied the right to adore her."

"You cannot _all_ be her lovers," the girl protested.

Kanato cocked his head to the side and chuckled.

Hitomi inhaled swiftly. Until this moment, she hadn't noticed that Kanato had graduated from boyhood. Suddenly, he was a young man – er, vampire – who clearly didn't think of Yuuki as a maternal figure anymore. Hitomi would know. Afterall, she had carefully observed the Sakamaki family and often lent an ear to her troubled mistress.

"No, we can't. Yuu-chan isn't promiscuous after all." Kanato stated, seemingly amused by her remark. "Surely, there are other ways to admire such a gem."

She thought she was too spunky for a mere servant, but couldn't resist herself. "Friend-zoned much?"

The vampire tossed his legs off the side of the bed.

"That too. But again, I am an artist." He lent the part-nephilim a hand, which she reluctantly accepted. "I'm only here to preserve her story."

Hitomi felt a sense of triumph and exhaustion to be led to his door. Her purpose for coming in had been left unaccomplished, but she had come close to a certain death and ended up strangely relieved to be let out alive. It was a natural reaction. Like how a person who nearly drowned intentionally, yet somehow resurfaced again, would take desperate gasps of the air to fill their emptied lungs.

"And what will you do, Na-uhh-Hitomi?"

The girl stopped in her tracks momentarily. It was the first time he had uttered her name. Her true name. Was this an acknowledgment?

"... Excuse me?"

"Oh, please." Kanato rolled his eyes. "Don't expect to always remain so close to Yuu-chan. Ayato's going to come and snatch her away sometime soon. So... What are you going to do when that happens?"

She turned around to face him directly. "I don't think Yuuki-sama will toss a friend so easily."

He exhaled with exasperation. "I'm not asking what _she_ would do."

Hitomi pursed her lips. "Then... I guess I will tell her story."

It was an echo of his self-asserted role. The vampire shook his head approvingly.

"Good." Kanato said as he touched the area between her eyebrows with his index and middle finger. "Remember that."

"Good?" Hitomi repeated. The bridge of her nose crinkled in confusion. She had meant to be ironic – she certainly wouldn't outlive Yuuki and there was no audience for such a tale had there been an occasion for it.

"You can be her storyteller if you wish." Kanato said as he ushered her out of the room. "That way, Yuu-chan is the main character... Do you know what that means?"

The un-enlightened part-nephilim decided to play along. "What?"

"It's _her_ story..." His voice took on a certain kind of coldness, but it lacked the chilling bite.

Kanato started to close the door on her, but the girl was still puzzled.

"Get out of the spotlight and do your job. It's time for you to fade into the background."

* * *

A/N: Kono bangumi wa goran no suponsaa no teikyou de okurishimasu: "This fanfic is sponsored by readers like you. Thank you."

Hi~ everyone! Before we get any misunderstandings, let me clarify something really quick. Hitomi did indeed recognize Kanato as a young adult, she does not "see him as a man" in the conventional sense. The poor girl hasn't fallen for him or anything – she's just made another observation.

On that note, kudos to my readers who expected "a shift" in their relationship. Kanato and Hitomi went from enemies to a more manageable rivalry, which I think is a good step. However, I'm sure Yuuki would be shaking her head wildly for most of their conversation while shouting things like, "No! What the hell? I'm not a goddess. What is this crap, guys? Just get along for Pete's sake without making me sound like some sort of a saint! … EEK! Please don't hurt each other :( "

A~nd this is basically curtain-drop for Hitomi. She won't be showing up much more, but she may still make brief appearances. Some of the main characters need some loving here and I will be sure to give them plenty of much-deserved screen time.

There was a lot of funky, breaking-the-fourth-wall going on around here. I hope you caught onto that and I will leave you with one final token to mull over:

Think about why Hitomi reacts in certain ways other than the "obvious" reasons. She's quite the liar and sometimes denies her feelings. On the other hand, there are times when she does admit the truth and hopefully you'll be able to make that distinction by the next chapter with Yuuki's POV. If not, I can always analyze her character for you in a PM.


	55. Self-Loathing

Yuuki watched Kanato drudge up the stairs and disappear from sight. He was too tired to even bother teleporting. Maybe his exhaustion made him forget that he could.

_I hope he'll be alright... _Yuuki thought as she returned to her own room.

She felt troubled. Kanato seemed quick to forget their fight – which was good. However, she wondered why she had lashed out so strongly earlier. She had even slapped the poor guy. Hadn't she learned her lesson the first time? Violence didn't solve problems. It only drove everything and every_one_ else away from her.

_Violence doesn't solve problems._ She knew this well but her fiery spirit still rebelled. She could come up with a million reasons to scold her stubborn nature into the gentleness that better suited her docile features. Her current situation was all her own doing. Why couldn't she keep from being so confrontational? For example, had she bit back her retort and escaped quietly in a certain public bathroom, maybe this sorrow wouldn't be so deep...

It seemed like Kanato was right after all. Yuuki was only trying to cover up her own denial by overcompensation. Guilty as charged.

But she had to come to geniunely love Hitomi as one of her own. Yes, her pampering might be a little excessive but – ohh god. _Pamper_? Was she pampering her closest female friend like a... like a pet? Is that what her well-intentioned gestures appeared to be?

Yuuki faltered in her steps and shuddered. After a moment, she shook off any lingering thoughts but her gait now assumed an air of defeat... Kanato's tiredness must have rubbed off.

Pochi barked happily even before the door opened, sensing its owner's presence. As soon as the dog gained clearance, it tackled the vampirette. Yuuki, expecting the oncoming assault, gracefully dropped onto the floor to catch the mutt in an embrace. She smiled at it's undying enthusiasm. At least someone could bring her spirits back up.

"C'mon, girl. At least let Yuuki-sama put her stuff down." Hitomi bid the pup as she casually finished tidying the bedroom.

The blonde glanced up at part-nephilim. She opened her mouth slightly in order to offer some sort of verbal acknowledgment, but the moment dragged out and her anticipated greeting never came.

"... Is everything alright, Yuuki-sama?"

"Uhh, yeah." She gave the dog a final rough petting under its velvety ears before standing up. "I thought you'd still be sleeping."

"I got up early since I was feeling a little restless." Hitomi shrugged. "Decided to spend some time with Pochi. You know how lonely she gets while everyone else is at school."

The dog wagged its tail as if confirming the statement.

_You get just as lonely being cooped up here, don't you, Hitomi?_

Yuuki nonchalantly tossed her bag onto her mattress. She nodded at the de-cluttered room. "Thanks."

"No problem." A tense pause followed. The brunette wondered if her mistress wanted some privacy. "I guess I'll go now."

"Sure." The vampirette rapped her fingertips on her thigh impatiently. "I'll let you know when I'm going out with Subaru."

Another awkward silence filled the space between them. Hitomi, feeling unnaturally shy, moved toward the door. As Hitomi passed by, Yuuki suddenly became overwhelmed by the brunette's scent. Her supernatural vision flashed red, then white, before unfocusing completely.

The blonde tumbled to the ground as an uncontrollable wave of nausea crashed over her. She latched onto the bed frame and proceeded to vomit all over the carpet, knees splayed in either direction to support her collapsed weight.

"Yuuki-sama! Are you alright?!" Hitomi exclaimed, rushing back to help the heaving vampirette.

"Stay away!" Yuuki cried out, trembling as she swallowed back the bile left in her mouth. She coughed violently before puking once more. The bed creaked as she strained against it.

Pochi whimpered at the sight.

"Yo...u... revolting..." Yuuki gasped between raspy breaths.

Hitomi froze. Then she turned around and fled from the scene.

She couldn't believe it. The one source of kindness she had ever experienced in her life had finally rebuked her. The girl turned the corner and crashed into someone else.

"Oof, watch were you're going," the individual complained gruffly. Condensed crimson eyes flashed with annoyance.

"Subaru-sama!" Hitomi yelped as she regained her balance. "You have to help! Yuuki-sama is -"

"Calm down. What happened?" Concern melted his scowl away. "No wait, I'll go see for myself." Subaru replied hurriedly before disappearing.

The abruptness of his presence and subsequent non-presence left Hitomi dumbfounded. She didn't know what to do. She was in shock from what had just happened and... She was disgusted in herself.

She had fallen from the graces of an angel. And who could blame the angel, who had showered her mercy and kindness indiscriminately? Hitomi knew that it was only a matter of time before Yuuki pushed her away. Unfortunately, such foresight didn't lessen the blow to her heart.

There was only one way that the dark youth thought she could begin to regain any shred of self-regard... If someone loathed her more than Hitomi did herself.

It was a simple matter of relativity; her own self-image would be better in comparison. And she knew just the person who could make her feel utterly worthless. Someone who apparently hated her enough to simply put her out of her misery.

She recognized her own twisted logic but any doubts were quelled by her crushing hopelessness. And hey, desperate means called for desperate measures.

* * *

A few minutes later, the mess on the carpet had been attended to by the ghost-servants that haunted the hallways. Subaru had summoned these beings after finding the vampirette shuddering on the floor.

Pochi had begged the albino to aid its owner through whines of anxiety, yet the plea seemed unnecessary. Subaru was in control now. Subaru had come to the rescue.

Yuuki's panic attack faded by the time she'd been cleaned up and tucked into bed. Her dog settled down on her blanketed legs as if to offer her some comforting weight. The morning sunlight began to warm the edges of her curtains when she finally spoke.

"... I'm so fragile it's pathetic," she said as Subaru handed her a glass of her favorite drink. He plopped down in a chair and pulled it next to her.

"Agreed. Your little episodes are totally unpredictable."

"I'm being serious here." Yuuki insisted at his semi-joking manner. She paused. "Do you think I'd be fit to rule when I'm this unstable?"

Subaru sighed at the heavy question. "Don't put so much mental pressure on yourself, Yuuki. Nobody's complaining."

"Well, why aren't they?"

"Because everyone can see how hard you're working."

"Thank you, _Sensei_." Yuuki replied a little condescendingly. He was the one who always complained that she wasn't concentrating enough whenever they were training together. "But certainly that's not enough to lead an entire nation."

"Again, nobody's going to make you do it all by yourself. Besides,_ Ayato'_s the one who's trying to become King. He's just dragging you along for his ride."

"He's not _just_ trying to become King, Subaru. He's trying to be the greatest one there ever was."

"The distinction?"

"Haven't you heard the phrase: _Every great man has a great woman beside him_?" The blonde pursed her lips. "And I'm certainly anything but that..."

Subaru spread his hands out on his lap. "I don't see how this conversation is relevant."

Yuuki gave a small, fleeting smile at his meek attempt to stop her from degrading herself. He always tried to help her improve but was nevertheless willing to give the harshest of criticism when she was in the wrong. Subaru was such a good teacher.

"Oh, but it _is_ relevant," she corrected. "I broke down because I started to doubt myself again. You see, Kanato told me I still haven't accepted who I – _what_ I am yet. Can you believe it? I've been actively drinking fresh human blood and apparently I _still_ can't get over the idea of being a vampire. If I can't do something as simple as that, how can I possibly pretend to accept the rest of vampires out there?"

"You've accepted us."

The muted smile returned. "Yes. Even if I had remained human, I think I would have come to overlook the fact that you boys were vampires."

He cocked his head so that his left temple rested on his hand. Confusion etched his face.

At this, the petite blonde laughed, "I know! It sounds so stupid, doesn't it?"

She looked down at her untouched drink, pale thumb dancing on the rim of the glass. "I have nothing against naturally born vampires yet I think of myself as a monster. I knew exactly what I was doing to Hitomi but I could hardly care. I was too addicted, too convinced that it was necessary, and now am left disgusted at the mere scent of blood."

"I call bull on your so-called addiction. You're the one with the strangest aversion I have ever seen."

"But you have to understand, Subaru, I _was_ one of them. I've downright _betrayed_ humanity ever since that first feeding." Yuuki arched an amused brow at his silent skepticism. "I guess that's a little hard for you to grasp, though. I'm the only one with a first-hand experience at being in both worlds after all." She exhaled sadly through her nostrils.

_W__hich __is why__ –_

"I'm sure Hitomi despises me... Running away at that moment just confirms it."

"_You probably think I'm revolting."_

"Why do I have a feeling that you're jumping to conclusions?"

"Probably because I'm an airhead." There was a note of pain in her otherwise light tone. Ayato used to call her that.

A calm silence descended upon the two. Yuuki leaned back on her headboard after sipping her cranberry juice.

"Funny. I had everything handed to me on a silver platter and still can't manage to be happy," she mused to the air in front of her.

"Huh?"

"Think about it. I could be the object of every girl's envy. I currently live in a freaking mansion with _extremely_ attractive men." She winked at him, teasing him out of his moodiness. "I've been granted eternal youth and beauty, not to mention supernatural health. I have friends who care about me and are constantly providing every imaginable comfort anyone could ask for. Except internet." Yuuki chuckled at this. "Hitomi asked me how I managed without it in this day and age. I told her that my real life was colorful enough to not need a virtual one. You can imagine how disappointed she seemed. Poor girl. At least she was connected to the rest of the world when she was with Lilith."

"And you don't mind being disconnected?"

"Not really. It would be nice to contact my loved ones outside of here once in awhile, but I can survive. I think others would have a much harder time adapting to an isolated environment like this one. I grew up in a church, so I'm not nearly as secular as the majority of kids out there... In any case, I can see why the evil eye was directed at me."

"Yuuki..." Subaru started after grinding down his molars for a few seconds. "You're not to blame for what those spoiled brats did to you."

She shook her head slowly. "That's not what I meant. I just can't help but wish that they were still alive. I'm sure I could have handled a couple of pests. Yes, they would probably torment me for the rest of my school years but at least Ayato wouldn't have to be sent away. It's so hard to be separated from him, Subaru. I've busied myself to forget his absence as best as I could but I've fallen back into a pattern. Training with you isn't as challenging as it used to be."

"That's a good thing. It means you're improving."

Yuuki nodded. "I'm grateful for it. I don't want to stop. It's just... hard sometimes."

She was crying again.

When she realized it, she spluttered, "Ah~ I'm so pathetic!" She began to laugh through her tears."I'm such a goddamn crybaby."

Subaru stared for a few seconds before leaning forward. Pochi raised its head to watch his hand extend toward its mistress. The vampire hesitated, so that she could push him away if she wanted.

"That's not necessarily a bad thing, you know..." Subaru muttered.

"Thank you, Subaru." Yuuki croaked with sincerity. "For hearing me out. It means a lot."

She let him dry her cheeks with his rough knuckles. The brief physical contact calmed her. He settled back into his seat.

"The biggest mistake I've made is falling for that charming little devil. You would have been the better choice," she whispered to herself.

Subaru stiffened. Pochi gauged this reaction with curiosity before laying its large head in the crevice between Yuuki's knees again.

His response was sharp and horrified. "What?"

The vampirette ducked her head momentarily before bringing her gaze back up. She quietly registered the shock that painted Subaru's visage. He looked like a great personal secret had been exposed.

_Oh. Ohh~_ She mirrored his blush as realization dawned on her._ God, I'm so cruel._

"You..." He stared at her in nervous anticipation. "Subaru, did you-?" Her words trailed off.

Subaru tried his best to retreat into the corner of his chair. "Did, uhh, Ayato tell you?"

"Tell me what?" Yuuki asked evasively with an expression he knew all too well. There was that tell-tale sparkle in her pink eyes that betrayed her. His nostrils flared in annoyance, realizing that she wouldn't let him off the hook despite the pretended ignorance. She was a little too persistent when something captured her attention.

He blocked his face from further scrutiny with the back of his hand before risking the confession. "That I – _dam__n him__!__ –_liked you."

"No," she squeaked helplessly. "I guessed. B-but he _knew_?"

Subaru cleared his throat to keep from following her lead. "Yeah. He told me to watch over you before he left."

Her jaw dropped. "And he _didn't_ string your guts?"

Subaru gestured at himself. "Still in one piece, aren't I?"

At this, Yuuki guffawed unexpectedly and their embarrassment passed for the most part. The dog didn't seem to mind the jerky shaking it was forced to endure.

"Yes, I can see that." The blonde set her empty glass on the night stand before continuing. "I'm surprised he let you go without some serious threats to your well being. Maybe he isn't as possessive as I thought he was."

"No no, he's possessive alright. And he did threaten me to make a point but that's all." Subaru countered as he relaxed. It looked like she was planning on brushing off the whole affair. It was better this way.

"Oh? That's an understated reaction. I would've thought he'd be more worried about a potential rival."

Subaru snorted. "As if he considers me a rival."

"He doesn't?"

"The cocky bastard thought I wouldn't ever take the initiative to confess."

Yuuki wagged a finger at him. "Ayato's not far off the mark, my dear Sensei. I _did_ simply happen to stumble across the truth." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled sheepishly. "But... You know... Thanks, I guess. I feel lucky to have been thought of so highly."

"Don't be ridiculous." Subaru scoffed at the polite rejection. "I wouldn't want to pursue you in the first place."

Another tinkling of laughter escaped her lips. "See? This is why your brother didn't think you'd do it. You're too defensive. Loosen up a bit!"

"Defensive?!"

"Don't challenge my judgment." Yuuki chided lightly. "I like to believe I understand these things... But do loosen up, Subaru. You're always so stiff – you'll never enjoy your youth properly."

A sarcastic hand waved in the air. "As if I'm lacking of!"

"I'm just teasing." Yuuki admitted. A thought seemed to cross her mind and she became silent once again. A hint of worry materialized in the form of a faint wrinkle between her fair brows.

The vampire bit his lip. "What's wrong?"

"Huh?" Yuuki asked absently, as if waking up in the middle of a lecture. "Oh, I was just thinking about the time Hitomi would constantly tease us – telling us to hook up and the rest of the nonsense."

He deflated at _nonsense_. Describing his feelings in such a way gently drove a metal nail into his chest.

"I asked her to stop it and she respected my request. Do you know why I couldn't bear it?"

Subaru's tongue flirted over his dry lips. "Uh... No?"

Yuuki turned her face away from him. "Because it was always too real a possibility. I was terrified of the idea of willingly ditching Ayato. It's your fault I'd even doubt my loyalty, Subaru. You're too nice to ignore. You've always been kind to me – ever since I was just a human. And now, you listen to my concerns without complaint."

She twiddled her thumbs timidly before meeting his gaze properly. "Really, it's a shame that I can't return the favor... I just want you to know that I'm aware how good you've been to me. I realize that's a cruel thing to admit but honestly, from the bottom of my heart, thank you, Subaru. And sorry for being so hopelessly in love with someone else."

"You doubted?"

"Y-yeah. But please don't tell anyone or get your hopes up. I won't leave Ayato."

He always expected to be friend-zoned but couldn't help himself from asking, "Why not?"

"Because I'm just an overflowing bucket of sap. Trust me, you don't want to hear this chick flick play out."

"Naw, tell me. I want to know what makes that idiot superior."

"Idiot, yes, but who said he's superior? Anyway, uhh... Are you sure about this?"

The albino nodded.

"Alright then." Yuuki conceded. "Pochi, darling, get off me and come lay here. My legs are falling asleep."

* * *

A/N: *Stretches extensively* Phew! It feels good to get back to writing. Sorry for being offline for so long (I have my list of excuses: I gave up my old house key the other day, turned in some applications that may end up sending me packing again, met a few major deadlines, the usual). I hope the wait wasn't too exhausting.

Anyway, this chapter takes place before (and during) the previous one, which is why Hitomi's mentioned even though her arc is essentially over. I decided to reveal her motives for seeking Kanato out in the first place. Basically, she mistakenly believed that Yuuki has come to hate her because of the fight with Kanato and can't bear the loss of her first true friendship. Although half-hoping that he would kill her out of his frustration, in a weird twist of events explored previously, he comes to terms with her existence and they find an unspoken truce.

But, obviously, Yuuki's the important one here. Her doubts, which had been temporarily buried through her many distractions, have resurfaced through Kanato's words. Keep in mind that she has grown a lot since Ayato and Laito's departure and has strengthened her relationships with everyone else. However, she's still not up to the level where she's completely independent and consequently blames herself for being unable to avoid or suppress conflicts. It's kinda pathetic so I'll make sure that she gets over it soon.

Also, _Subaru's confession, man_. They're just so cute when they're all flustered. He tries to act all tough but it backfires since he's a just a gosh-darned sweetheart compared to his brothers and SHE KNOWS IT.

I liked reverting back to my old style of simple banter in the last section, but do you know why this was so hard to write? It feels wrong to condemn a guy to the friend-zone, it's wrong for a guy to be into his brother's girl, and it's definitely the wrong choice for a girl based on all the facts before her. Can we all just collectively scream at our poor screens while this fanfic continues (and will continue) to ship the wrong ship? Good, get it out of your system before the male protagonist comes back. He's the only one who gets to keep his romance.


	56. Strictly Platonic

"I want to clarify one thing, Subaru," the petite blonde started. "I don't _really_ hate Ayato's guts. I just, you know... curse him out when I'm frustrated."

The seated vampire made no comment so Yuuki continued.

"That said, this might come as a shock. I-I was actually relieved when I found out that he was sent away." Pink eyes flitted uncertainly behind fair lashes. "Of course, the fact that he was safe was a factor but..."

Daylight softened the albino's outline while casting a purple shadow over his other features, making it look as if he possessed a great, unexplored depth. Somehow, he seemed like the older one – a side that all his teachers who foolishly wrote him off as a generic delinquent would never see.

Subaru's face remained guarded as he repeated, "_But_?"

Her lip trembled. "Um, this is – uh, still kind of hard for me to say after all these months."

"Go on," he prodded in a manner that was neither gentle nor unkind. "I can't leave until I've repaid my debt."

_Debt? Oh, that._

As far as she could tell, he was referring to his own moment of vulnerability. Just like she'd done so long ago, he now offered to listen to whatever painful confession lodged itself in her throat with all the sympathy he could muster. Although, whether or not he'd be able to express the sentiment _outwardly_ was another matter entirely.

Subaru never really had to say much before she understood him. They polished each other as student and mentor for many months after all. Yuuki had come to learn how to read his tone to extrapolate the true meaning behind his brief instructions. Silent communication based on small cues had become second nature to them.

"I was relieved because it gave me a chance to breathe. I think it was important for us to step away from each other when we did. A little too abrupt, maybe, but a good move nonetheless."

"Whoa, hold on a moment. What makes you say that?"

"It's a bit of a long story..."

"I've got all day."

Yuuki blushed. "Do you remember that giant ruckus I made about how he didn't say goodbye properly?"

"Could I forget?"

The vampirette ignored his sarcasm. "Well, he actually _did_ come see me before he disappeared. It must've been right after he was ordered to pack his things. I knew something was wrong but he refused to tell me what was going on..."

"Why'd he bother coming to see you, then?" Subaru asked, which deepened the pink hue of her cheeks. She let her hair fall between them to act as a curtain that hid her from further scrutiny. "Oh, no. Don't even _try_ to dodge the question. Your face is completely giving it away, so cough it up."

Yuuki cringed. "Yes, but it's awkward! Especially since you're his little brother... J-just give me a moment to brace myself."

The male complied and the room descended into silence save for Pochi noisily ruffling the covers as it shifted to a more comfortable position. The petite blonde began to stroke the length of its back in a monotonous fashion, trying to relieve her own inward tension by massaging the dog.

"Ayato... When he came to me that night... He asked me to have sex with him." Yuuki finally admitted. Without pausing for Subaru's reaction, she hastily added, "And you've gotta admit that it's pretty amazing that he even asked. He usually just demands attention. He can be so needy sometimes. I-I rejected him, of course. I thought he was joking but I should've known better. I could see that he wasn't acting normal, that he seemed _disturbed_. But then - God, I hate recalling this – he, um, he went ahead with whatever impulse that came over him."

Subaru's wide, blood-red eyes darkened and he slowly began to tremble in anger. "That son of a-"

Her smaller hand shot out to the one set on the armrest nearest to her. She squeezed his pale fingers in a weak attempt to stop them from shaking.

"He didn't rape me, Subaru. Or, at least, he didn't get far enough."

The vampire pulled away. "Then why are you telling me this? You know what happened to my mother!"

Pochi emitted a tiny growl in warning but waited upon it's owner's permission to act. Once again, Yuuki reached out and clasped his hand soothingly. The gesture was both stubborn and sweet.

"Because, Subaru, you're the only one in this entire house who'd actually understand how humiliating that kind of experience can be. You're the only one who can hear me out. I can't tell you how scared I was that night. Not just _of_ Ayato, but _for_ him. And the horrific part about it was that I loved – _love._ I still love – him. Honestly, I might have consent in any other situation. He would never abandon me if I happened to get pregnant. I mean, he wants me to marry him." She blinked back a film of tears. "Despite knowing that, I can't allow myself to repeat the past. I can't become Christa all over again. And I definitely can't let Ayato make your father's mistakes."

He stiffened when his mother's name left the vampirette's lips. He couldn't deny Yuuki's legitimate fear. As contradictory as it might sound, Karlheinz idolized Christa over his other wives – a fact that enraged Subaru to no end – and Christa felt somewhat proud of it when she wasn't completely unstable. If his mother had not been violated, the bitterness that polluted their familial bond wouldn't have existed. And yes, Karlheinz technically didn't abandon his son. However, the Vampire King had broken his unwilling Queen, simultaneously destroying any chance of gaining their child's respect.

"That's why it was a good thing when Ayato was taken from me. I might have fallen to that fate if we'd been together any longer." Yuuki summarized with a hint of terror affecting her voice. "I might have lost every shred of my dignity. How could I allow that? I refuse to be overcome by lust and temptation but I found myself so, _so_ close to sinning. I wouldn't be able to look at my father in the eye again for the shame."

"..."

"Subaru?"

"Well, isn't this a splendid reason to stab that idjit in the back?"

"Hush." Yuuki cooed as her fingers absently stroked the back of his fist. "Don't say that. Ayato only ever thought of me whenever he did anything. He always meant well. Besides, I didn't get to my conclusion."

He shook his frosty mane and exclaimed, "No, no! You just don't get it, Yuuki. It doesn't matter if he meant well. It doesn't change what he tried to do."

Subaru freed herself from her grip and leaned forward, cupping the vampirette's face with both of his hands. She inhaled sharply in surprise and Pochi yapped in unison.

"What's stopping me from closing this gap between us?" Subaru asked, neither lifting the pressure of his physical proximity nor moving any closer. He answered his own question as his fierce eyes stared into her very soul. "He tried to objectify you. I would never do that."

The petite blonde fought the urge to cover his lips with her fingers. She didn't want to make it seem like she didn't trust his better judgment and self-restraint.

"I know that," she whispered instead. "But let me finish-"

"What more is there to say? It's -"

"Did you ever hear the story of Beauty and the Beast?" Yuuki interrupted quickly.

Subaru blinked in confusion and withdrew. "Uhh, why are we talking about sappy classics now?"

"Listen to me," she said firmly. "Beauty and the Beast was my favorite fairytale as a child because the girl actually used her brains and stood up for her dreams. I liked her guts and how she softened the beast. Then, one day, my father told me something that sorta shattered their happy ending for me. My dad was, uhh, sort of a love expert after hearing about a boatload of relationships. It's an occupational hazard, I guess. He said that although people can change, it was wrong for Beauty to marry Beast. Do you know why? It's because Beast would eventually return to his abusive, dominating self after the honeymoon period. Not that the other guy would've been any better."

"Yup," the vampire drolled. "Your dad seems like _such_ an optimist."

"Haha. He was the kind of doting parent who generally couldn't bear the thought of being marrying me off, even when I was a kid, but he gave good life advice anyway... I'm lucky to have a dad like him."

"Well, he's certainly some kinda rare species. It's hard to believe that doting parents exist anymore."

The vampirette realized she was stepping on egg shells and steered the conversation back on track. "In any case, my dad told me to pick a partner based on compatibility as individuals. Someone I could really respect and vice versa."

"Yet you see yourself as Beauty and Ayato as the Beast." Subaru inferred.

"Yes."

"Which basically supports my argument..."

Yuuki smiled. "I think it shows where we went wrong despite wanting the best for each other. And the fact that I can recognize problem is the main thing."

"So you can avoid making a mistake."

"So I know where I can find the solution." Yuuki corrected.

White brows seemingly disappeared into his hairline. "_Solution_? You're still trying to salvage a relationship that's inevitably going to crumble?"

"Hey, don't condemn my efforts to failure that fast," the vampirette protested. "You missed my dad's qualifier – _people can change_. What kind of priest would he be if he didn't believe that wholeheartedly? The distinction he was making is that a woman can't go into a relationship believing that she's going to _fix_ her man."

"True that." Subaru growled quietly.

"Basically, _I'm_ not going to be the one spoon-feeding Ayato. He's going to have to learn how to help himself. He's not a bad guy, Subaru, even if he's a little misguided at times. And hopefully your dad's plan will work out and he'll come back as a better person."

The albino snorted. "Fat chance."

The petite blonde frowned. "Subaru, please, I need you to be on my side here."

"I am on your side, Yuuki, but Ayato's going to be the same as always."

"Will _I_?" Yuuki countered with unusual venom in her voice. A faint wrinkle appeared between blonde brows but she maintained a seemingly calm composure. "Honestly, Subaru, do you expect me to sit here and just cry on the sidelines? Ayato is prideful and arrogant because he is a prince and rightfully so. I don't blame him for that. Sure, it would be _lovely_ if he tasted humility somewhere abroad. But I'm not relying on that sort of lofty wish here. If he is standing on some sort of pedestal, let me reach his level. He can't possibly dominate me if I'm his equal. So tell me – _will I be the same as always_?"

Subaru gaped at the steel in her hardened gaze. She rarely became so angry and her docile exterior made it all the more frightening.

"... This is ridiculous," he finally said when Yuuki paused to take a deep breath. Released from her intensity, he realized that there was no need to be intimidated by her of all people. "Ayato is the definition of an alpha dick. Whatever you try to do won't change that."

"You know what's ridiculous? A young maiden rejecting her one chance at a fairytale ending. But I did it anyway because I wanted to become Ayato's _partner_. A queen in my own right. I couldn't accept back then because it would mean I was willingly subjugating myself. But saying no-thanks-for-now doesn't mean I've given up on him."

"No, I won't stand for this. This reasoning makes you sound shallow and I don't want to believe it."

"Believe what?"

"That everything you've learned so far has just been for that bastard. It's such a waste of effort on your part."

"Who said anything about it being all for him?"

"Well, you've suddenly started spouting all this nonsense of becoming a queen. It's obvious you want to accept his proposal once he comes back."

At this, the vampirette snorted. Pochi copied her in a comical fashion, but neither supernatural teen was in the mood to notice the hilarity of the dog's echo.

"Hah. Why? Because Ayato voiced his desire to become Vampire King first? Nonsense. He can't even touch the crown without me."

Confusion colored the albino's face as he tried to figure out where her uncharacteristically haughty claim stemmed from.

"I'm not making this up, Subaru. He really can't be the King unless I let him."

"Oh? You seem very confident about that. Who the hell put you in charge?"

"Your old man." Yuuki deadpanned without ceremony.

The response caught him completely off guard. "Eh? _My father_?"

The only reason he could accept it was because Karlheinz had let slip a similar notion the night that Yuuki had woken up to find her boyfriend missing. But he could barely believe that his father let her know about the "Adam and Eve" plan. Subaru wanted to know if she'd come to such a conclusion on her own.

The petite blonde nodded. "I'm not sure if I'm supposed to share this but I guess it wouldn't hurt to tell you... I asked Karlheinz to analyze my blood's properties once."

The youngest son's eyes widened.

"And he did it?" Subaru's tone made it clear that this sort of thing was completely unheard of.

"No, he refused. But he did tip me off to an interesting bit of knowledge. You know how Ayato became stronger each time I let him feed on me? Apparently, it's one of my passive abilities. No vampire can hope to challenge the King until they've acquired my blood. That's why Karlheinz has been so particular about me learning how to defend myself. And I figured that if nobody can defeat your father without my help, I'm the one who ultimately decides the next leader of the pack."

Subaru shivered internally. This was news. This was very _dangerous_ news. And it's implications were so grand that it took a few moments for him to process it properly.

"So... You're saying you'd be the queen regardless of who ends up becoming king because of your blood?"

"If you want to interpret it that way, then yes."

"And you're going to hand this power to _Ayato_ of all people?"

"Noo. Not necessarily." Yuuki replied, biting her lower lip. "I need to see what Ayato makes out of himself before I do that. If I can be proud to stand by him, then there's nothing holding me back. I just want you to know that I have a choice left in the matter, Subaru. I won't helplessly swayed by his whims if I can help it."

The vampire shook his head. "Wow. I don't know if I'm reassured or horribly worried. I'm guessing we shouldn't advertise this... this _ability_ of yours."

"I trust you with my secrets, Subaru."

"You do?"

"Of course. I can't imagine telling the others about this, no? I'm glad I can speak about this with someone. It's a weight of my shoulders."

"Are you sure letting me know is a good idea? I mean - I'm pleased, of course. But from your perspective, I could easily sabotage Ayato's plans now if I wanted to and take you away for myself."

"You wouldn't do that." Yuuki lightly stated.

"I wouldn't because you'd be miserable. But don't think I'm not capable of it." Subaru growled lightly. "You're acting overly lax because you only see me as a boy, right? Don't underestimate me. I didn't teach you to be so careless."

"I never once underestimated you or the weight of your feelings, Subaru."

"Oh, really? You didn't seem particularly conflicted earlier, when you rejected them."

"I just didn't think it would be right of me to leave you hanging. Please don't be bitter about it. I treasure our friendship, so let's not have any bad blood between us."

The albino sighed through his nose, defeated. "I guess I shouldn't have asked you to elaborate in the first place."

"Do you think it tarnishes my pure image or something?" Yuuki replied with a small level of hostility. "I'm sorry I'm not made out of sugar and spice and everything nice. But should I have kept my mouth shut so you wouldn't have lost all respect for me?"

He winched at her harsh words.

"No, Yuuki." Subaru replied, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I admit that I'm a little disappointed but I never expected anything in the first place. Ayato was right about me – I give up."

"..." The vampirette stared guiltily at her hands, now nestled on her lap. She had intended to push Subaru away so as to be kinder to him, but his withdrawal made her inexplicably sad. She was furious at herself and had wrongfully pointed her wrath toward him.

"It's not like your inferior to your older brothers," she began slowly. All traces of poison had left her tone, leaving her raw and delicate. "If anybody says that I'm stupid for letting you go, they'd be right. Ayato isn't superior to you in any way."

"Oh, really?" Subaru voiced sarcastically. "I appreciate the effort, but I know I'm nothing. Not to you or anybody still alive."

"That's not true at all! You're a mentor, a confidant, a friend... a brother. I promise that one day you'll bump into someone who can properly appreciate every little thing about you. They won't be dissatisfied with what they find – you're a great guy."

"And I assume that you can't be that person?" It came out more like a statement than a question.

"No, unfortunately. I can't love you in the way that you deserve to be loved."

"Then, I guess being a great guy isn't good enough."

"Will you stop that?" Yuuki snapped. "Stop degrading yourself, okay?! I take it back. Hate me if you need to but don't belittle yourself. It's upsetting me. I feel guilty, and I want to make it up to you, but I can't. I just can't. So just punch me in the face as if I didn't block myself properly for the umpteenth time and then wash your hand clean of me. I'm the princess of this goddamned pity party so give me back my crown and get your stupid ass out of here!"

The two stared at each other for two full seconds before cracking up.

"Bwahaha! _Princess of this pity party_? You're a hoot, Yuuki." Subaru laughed, clutching his convulsing stomach.

"Easy for you to say!" Yuuki yelped between her own chortling. She tried to suppress herself and put on her serious face, but it only made her fit worse. "I'm the one spilling my heart out here. You got off easy."

"Did not!"

"Did too," the vampirette insisted as she wiped away a stray tear. "You haven't admitted anything nearly as embarrassing as I have."

"Ha ha. ha." Subaru trailed off. "Uhh... What's with that look?"

"Equivalent exchange," she replied promptly. Her eyes sparkled with expectancy. "I demand a confession."

"Aww, hell no."

Pochi, watching intently as always, made a dog-sigh before resting its head on its large paws. Yuuki resisted giggling at its little huff.

"Alright, fine." Subaru finally conceded. "What do you want to know?"

"What did you like about me?"

The white-haired vampire spluttered incoherently at her boldness.

"No, really. What piqued your interest?" Yuuki re-stated. "It's a perfectly valid question, considering the fact that you were _a little disappointed_ in me. I want to know why you expected me to behave any differently."

He found that his adam's apple nearly choked him when he swallowed.

"Um, you're a pretty amazing chick. There's not too many girls out there how can throw me over their shoulder or give me a black eye."

The vampirette chuckled, yet seemed to be waiting for a more elaborate response.

"You're a quick learner. And it's easy to talk to you. I mean, I fucking shed tears in front of you before. That's not something a guy admits easily, you know."

She nodded.

"Uhh... and you're not that bad on the eyes, Shortie."

"Don't call me short!" Yuuki piped suddenly.

"That too," he pointed out with a grin. "You're always on fire. Even the Vampire King is careful not to burn himself near you."

"Humphf. I take that as a compliment, good sir."

"_Pfft._"

The petite blonde let him finish laughing at her.

"Thank you, Subaru – I'm flattered. Although, I still have a question for you..."

A smile still lingered on his face when he turned his attention back to her. "Hm, what's up?"

"I-If I do turn out to be wrong, will you be there for me?" Yuuki murmured shyly.

The vampire bristled. "Wow. I didn't think you'd make me your Plan B. That's pretty low."

"No! I didn't mean it that way! God, no." Yuuki cried out in newly found horror. Even she understood the acceptable limit of friend-zoning. "What I was trying to say was that if I ever made any mistakes, would you still continue to support me? As a... as a brother."

"Eh?"

"I know I essentially told you to go take a hike a few minutes ago, but I do care about you. It's platonic as hell, but I won't deny that the affection is still there."

"Well, I guess that's better than nothing." Subaru exhaled deeply and rest his chin on the heel of his wrist. "You and Ayato are too stubborn to let each other go. I'm resigned to it. Besides, I never really planned to confess and we've acted like bickering siblings all along."

Yuuki's concerned expression split with a bright grin. "Thanks, man. And when your brother and I inherit this mafia group that your old man runs, you can call me _Ane-san_."

"Ha ha. Keep dreaming, Yuuki."

"Wha~t? Your family is so sketchy, you can hardly blame me for coming to such a conclusion."

"Pochi, I think she's finally lost it." Subaru joked. He gave the half-sleeping dog a quick pet on the head before standing up. "It's late. I'd better go to bed."

"You know, most humans are up and running around at this time of the day. They'd think you were equally as crazy if they heard you."

"As if I give a crap. I just had one of the weirdest exchanges in my entire life. Their petty opinions couldn't faze me."

Subaru suddenly stopped at the door and turned back.

"Did you forget something?" Yuuki asked when he knelt beside her mattress. Startled, she threw her legs out from underneath the covers and turned to address the oddity of his action. "Are you okay?"

He looked up with a solemn expression. "Yuuki – no – M'lady."

The petite blonde laughed awkwardly, swinging her legs like a child because they didn't quite reach the ground. "What's with this sudden formality? You're so random, Subaru."

"Excuse my behavior for the moment. I feel it is appropriate."

She pursed her lips before deciding to play along. "Then delay not any further, my dear sir. What matter plagues your troubled heart?"

Subaru bowed his head in shame. "I have promised my brother to watch over you in his absence, but I have broken my pledge of loyalty to him. Will you, in his stead, forgive me and reinstate me as your protector?"

Yuuki reached out and lifted his chin. "Subaru... There's a big difference in being a knight and being a king. I am not royalty. You are. I have no control over you. Especially since I'm simply your humble student."

"You are mistaken. I would continue to serve you whether you held a title or not."

"... Then, if you are satisfied with the little gratitude I can offer, I have no objection."

"Thank you," the vampire croaked, voice thick with emotion.

"No, Subaru..." Yuuki replied, blinking away the dust-in-her-eyes. "Thank you."

The grateful albino rose from his position. He said nothing else as he turned the knob and exited the bedroom, which was silent save for the steady breathing of a napping pup.

Feeling very alone, the vampirette hummed her goodbye before settling deeper into her pillows.

* * *

A/N: I kept rewriting this scene for the longest time.

I actually asked my dear ol' mother about "a hypothetical situation where a girl falls in love with a guy, who has one personality problem because of the terrible way his mother raised him, and whether or not it would be okay for the girl to marry him after he goes away to study abroad. Is it right for her to hold back simply because of this one thing?"

After explaining the situation in more detail, my mom simply said, "It depends."

"On what?" I asked.

"On whether he's matured or not."

Then I asked what the girl should do if she meets another guy (who she can only think of as a friend) in the meanwhile and my mom's all like, "Of course she should choose the second guy. It's much better to choose a friend then someone who could potentially become abusive again."

So... Shmerr. My mama disapproves of the AyatoxYuuki pairing. Goddammit, Subaru! You're complicating matters DX (_Why do I even do this to myself?)_

But then again, Yuuki's a foolish little girl that doesn't have a mom to ask for advice. Therefore, I'm going to let her make her own mistakes like the sadistic writer I am. *cackles like an evil witch before making a dramatic exit, pan to a sign that says _See you next chapter!_*


	57. Library Etiquette

The winter had been a busy season for Reiji – if one could imagine his schedule any more packed than normal. While the younger members of the Sakamaki household sorted out their complicated relationships, the second eldest son tried to figure out his complicated future.

Reiji ended up applying to any prestigious college he could think of, regardless of where they were located. He was one of those rare students who could afford to do so. He effortlessly received a perfect score on the dreaded Center while his older brother begrudgingly received an "adequate" grade. Now that spring had come to melt away the frost, interview requests, acceptance letters and even job offers started pouring in from every corner of the world...

Too bad Reiji had no idea what he wanted to do with his life.

The young vampire possessed the qualities that both professionals and determined students covet. His incredibly sharp brain was a mystery to behold. With Reiji Sakamaki, it was not a question of what he _could_ do – but what he _couldn't_ do. Nothing less than success was expected from him. They believed he had the potential to surpass his father and, honestly, Reiji believed in the possibility, too.

Yet, he felt no drive to pursue a lifetime in the footsteps of his father. The idea immediately met a sub-zero approval rating in his own mind.

Reiji dropped another package of mail on a neat pile of letters with a sigh. These were _definitely_ rejected. What was he thinking – applying to so many places? It had just reintroduced him to the misery of spam, spam, and more spam.

The vampire ran a hand through his perfectly mussed mane. The dark purple-black strands fell back into place without fuss and his gloved fingers lingered at the end of a silky lock. Maybe it was time for a hair cut. Maybe it was time for a break.

He wondered if he should bake something in order to vent his frustration. Something that would provide a nice challenge. Something that would replace the bitter aftertaste of listlessness. Something delectably French. A dessert maybe.

Yes, that sounded nice...

No. At this rate, he'd probably smash his expensive china in the vain hope that the self-inflicted _disaster_ would provide a small, yet desperate, thrill.

_God._ Subaru was rubbing off on him... How could he even _consider_ such a heinous crime?

Reiji decided to go somewhere more characteristic – the library. He couldn't burn the books even if he tried. They were protected by magical seals (as every great collection owned by immortals should). He weighed a volume in his hand, as if testing its worth. The subject matter didn't really matter. As long as he had an excuse to think about something else.

Book tucked safely under his arm, he picked his way toward a wing-back armchair, only to realize that someone was already occupying it when his sensitive ears caught wind of a sniffle.

Yuuki – petite creature that she was – sat absorbed in a novel, completely dwarfed by her surroundings. Large, clear orbs of salty liquid streamed down her pale face. When she was about to turn the page, she finally became aware of another presence and looked up.

"Reiji!" Yuuki exclaimed quietly, her voice husky from emotion. He quirked a brow at her expression and she promptly wiped the tears away and smiled.

"Just re-reading this," she explained, lifting the cover to him.

"_Jane Eyre_." Reiji noted with disinterested recognition. The genre certainly suited the girl. He personally didn't care much for romance.

Yuuki nodded enthusiastically. "I love it."

Reiji made a gesture that _resembled_ a shrug... He never would stoop to such a casual motion.

"I wasn't aware that you'd been reading at that level already," he said smoothly as he settled down. She instinctively straightened her posture to match his unaffected formality.

"You're the one whose been helping me out with English!" Yuuki huffed. "Oh, wait... I guess we haven't had many lessons together for awhile now," the vampirette amended.

It _had_ been awhile. After Reiji taught her practically the entire curriculum within a few short months, she hadn't needed his tutoring to continue to do well at school. The time that she used to spend with him was promptly redistributed to her other extracurricular activities – namely with Subaru and Karlheinz. In fact, the Vampire King had taken her further understanding of history into his own hands, sharing foreign classics along with his own experiences. The novel that was lying in her lap, for example, was one such recommendation.

"We haven't even talked to each other lately... How have you been doing?" Yuuki asked wistfully.

She ran her soft pink eyes over him, taking in the nostalgic, tense set of his shoulders and his piercing gaze. Her fear of him (once borne through her former mortality and later revived by his overwhelming strictness) had dulled to a distant memory. They merely observed one another from a distance now, neither perfect strangers nor close friends.

They knew each other from across the dining table. They owed each other various debts. They cared deeply about each other, but the feeling was only passively displayed. She felt comfortable in his presence, and he found her openness amusing. Sometimes. She was like his whiny, playful, and loving little sister. He was like her reserved and aloof older brother. And he'd support her when she needed it. In the meanwhile, they'd respect their respective privacy while knowing everything there was to know anyway.

Indeed, a wall existed between them simply because they lived separate lives under the same roof.

But it was one they could lean on. It was there. And it was precious.

"How have I been doing, huh?" Reiji repeated, exhaling with a small level of annoyance. He set his book aside – it would not help distract him now. Not when the notoriously persistent Yuuki was in a chatty mood.

The vampirette's lips twisted in a quirky, half-sympathetic, half-entertained smile. "Having problems with picking out a college, are we?"

"Yes." Reiji replied bluntly, lacing his long, ungloved fingers together on top of his dark trousers.

"Oh?" She was pleased in her accuracy.

"I have too many options. The curse of the blessed, if you may."

Yuuki waggled her eyebrows at him and theatrically gasped, "Did I just hear the word _blessed_ from the mouth of an atheist? And not just any atheist, mind you. The one who allegedly brought a dying girl back to life. The one whose only flaw known by the natural and the supernatural world is hubris, for even the gods fear what talents they have given him."

Reiji shot her a look of exasperation but played along. "Exactly. The gods, if they exist, have bestowed me with talents that no one man should possess. Therefore, in their _infinite_ wisdom, they gave them to a vampire instead."

"My, my. Shall we count those blessings, then?"

The male readjusted his thin frames. "I pass. Discussing my qualities will only serve to inflate, as you seem to believe, my ego."

Yuuki giggled at his sarcasm and relaxed again. She slouched elegantly... the way that Reiji had taught her too – chin resting lightly on the heel of her palm, spine stretched out in a ladylike fashion, one ankle tucked behind the other. This was as comfortable a position as she was allowed to assume around the older vampires. However, she fell into it easily since she'd become accustomed to more genteel manners.

She attempted to engage Reiji in a bout of witty banter, like a kitten trying to get a tranquil tiger to play. He eventually indulged her for the sake of much-needed diversion.

The vampirette seemed to find one of his biting comments exceedingly funny, leaving her snickering gleefully. She managed to get on Reiji's nerves after barely-muffled laughter erupted steadily from the armchair across from him for a few minutes straight.

"Miss, we are in the library," he admonished sternly. "Please refrain from making so much noise."

Yuuki snorted. She imagined Reiji as a vexed kindergarten teacher and the image made her burst into another cycle of chuckles.

"I don't think that's as humorous as you find it," he finally stated after she confessed her wayward thought. He didn't like being the butt of someone's joke, although Yuuki's easy manner passed off as inoffensive.

"Hah~ it's certainly a good thing that you're not becoming a teacher," she said once her fit had subsided. "You'd traumatize the little ones. And you'd be a menace to the older kids. Nope, that would not do. Not at all."

Reiji sniffed defensively. "Educators exist to share their knowledge, not to be adored by their students."

"_You_ always demanded that one always showed the proper respect for one's superiors." Yuuki pouted.

"No, you misunderstand me. I have nothing against respect. Teaching _is_ a respectable trade. And I have to admire most of my professors for putting up with the little devils they have to deal with."

"Ha. Well, I assume you'd only pursue a _respectable_ trade," she retorted teasingly.

A serious look returned to cloud his face. "I'm afraid so."

"Hm?"

"Does that sound surprising? Stability is tantamount to success in this dog-eat-dog world, after all."

"That doesn't sound very enthusiastic." Yuuki bit her bottom lip. "You know, Reiji, nobody's asking you to be miserable."

"I must say, your far-fetched assumptions are quite astounding," he asserted. "Pray tell, why would stability necessarily mean condemning oneself to misery?"

"Sorry. I didn't mean to imply – I-it's just... Well, you've always been somewhat of a... a _perfectionist_." Yuuki admitted sheepishly. "I didn't want you to feel pressured by anyone else when you're already so hard on yourself. Oh, never mind. I know you'll excel at whatever you do. So, umm, here's to your success." She raised an empty hand in a mock toast. "Cheers."

When he didn't reply, Yuuki dropped her hand limply onto her knee. She re-opened the neglected book in her lap and absentmindedly stared at the pages.

"This is what frustrates me the most." Reiji finally confessed.

The petite blonde glanced up at him in astonishment, believing that their conversation had ended with her awkward gesture.

"I'm guaranteed success before I've actually done anything for myself. There's nothing left for me to prove."

_Nothing?_

"... Now that your mother's gone?" Yuuki asked timidly. She had previously believed that he had spent his entire childhood trying to impress Beatrix. The blonde always felt like his inferiority complex was what drove him forward.

The male nodded solemnly. "For years, I believed her approval was unattainable. But I have no need of it anymore."

"Why is that?"

"I don't need validation, Yuuki. Honestly, what is expected of me that I can't realize? I thought I had ambitions but I was mistaken. I'm sick and tired of living before I've even experienced anything for myself. This world isn't interesting. I wish I could leave it behind, but I doubt that any _eternal afterlife_ would be any better," he replied almost spitefully.

The vampirette's breath hitched in her throat.

"Wh-what?" Yuuki squawked. "When did you start thinking like such a – such a _pessimist_?"

"I'm fairly certain that I've never given the impression of being an optimist." Reiji countered.

"No, no, no! _This world isn't interesting,_ you say? Where the hell does that come from? Reiji, you are by far the most curious person I've ever met," the vampirette spluttered. "Have you seen yourself poring over the structure of atoms-or-whatever or dissecting some odd creature in your lab? It's almost disgusting how excited you get when you're learning about the world around you. Don't look so flustered – you don't express it outwardly. There's no need to be so self-conscious – everyone already knows how much of a nerd you are... Don't give me _that_ look either, mister. I meant that as a compliment."

He nearly rolled his eyes at her.

"The fact that you can appreciate these things in such detail is what's so special about you. Most people don't even have that capacity." Yuuki frowned. "And yet you're telling me you've suddenly grown bored of all this? Bah! I refuse to believe it!"

His response remained calm. "Well, learn to believe it."

She glared at the young adult. "You have no right to be _bored, _Reiji. It's not like you've unlocked all the secrets to the universe already. Shame on you, intending to waste away like this. Oh, yes, I'll say it... _I expected better from you_, Reiji_._"

Anger flashed through his usually impassive eyes.

"Hold your tongue," he muttered venomously. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"Hahaha. Oh and how am I _supposed_ to understand? This sounds so ridiculous coming from you. Give me one reason, Reiji, that can explain it to me. That's all I ask from you now. Just one, pitiful reason."

He opened his mouth, but no words came out. After awhile, he simply stated, "I refuse to be provoked by you."

"Hmm... I'm _crushed_, my good sir."

He scowled at her indifferent tone yet felt no qualms in mimicking it. "_Are you_, now?"

"No, not really. A tad disappointed, perhaps. But since you seem to hate it so much, I won't expect anything from you."

Yuuki rose from her seat and turned toward the door with deliberate unhurriedness. It was her way of pretending to be calm when, in reality, she was furious. Reiji had always been confident in his capabilities, therefore he had been a suitable pillar for, well, _everyone_. Learning that his resolve was so weak made her question her reliance on him thus far. And knowing that this ever-present support had vanished with one short conversation that _she_ had initiated was heartbreaking.

She'd tried to knock some sense into him in her own way – which was to throw a fit.

But it hadn't worked this time.

_Sometimes, passion just wasn't enough... _Yuuki thought dispiritedly.

When her hand was on the knob of the door, Reiji mumbled _it_ to himself. She froze in place, eyes widening in shock.

* * *

A/N: Published this because I was procrastinating on _everything_ I'm supposed to be doing. Literally, I was even procrastinating on _this_ chapter - I went ahead and revised all the chapter of DiaLover "Revised" these past three days (mostly minor edits but there's some new goodies you might notice upon re-reading) because I'm technically not allowed to be writing right now. Gah, so frustrating. So please pray that my current problems go away so I can dedicate more time and energy to you lovely readers.

It's a relief to be finally moving on from the younger folks. I always love interactions between Reiji and Yuuki. They're just a wonderfully feisty pair. Actually, I cut this scene in half because the next part has unexpected development that I want to flesh out properly (although that adds to my already-massive chapter count). Reiji's being all moody and I kind of want to punch him in the gut right now. He doesn't understand how terrible financial troubles are and totally takes his situation for granted (=.=)_ You have no idea how envious I am of him._ Yuuki's actually pretty heartbroken at the moment (before Reiji joins her) but she's doing a better job of beating back her depression at this point. She's learned better than to seclude herself and mope in bed.

Also, really happy to finally make a reference to Jane Eyre. It's been on my mind for awhile now and has secretly influenced my thought process for this story. I thought it would be fun to make a few other allusions (like calling Laito a "Lord Henry" from The Picture of Dorian Gray) before realizing that I'd start to sound like an English Literature junkie. So, I decided to keep my nerdiness to a minimum. But, hey, _book lovers rock on!_


	58. Expectations

His whispered words rang out clearly in the pin-drop silence – further amplified by her supernatural hearing.

"_I was only ever meant to be Shu's right hand anyway..."_

Something clicked two seemingly unrelated thoughts – two puzzle pieces connecting with a resounding snap.

The vampirette flew back to face him and steadied herself by clenching the chair she'd previously occupied with such a force that her nails left a small mark.

"Did _she_ – did Beatrix tell you that?" Yuuki demanded breathlessly while her hair floated back down to her shoulders.

Mentally jolting, Reiji maintained his peace to process the nearly-violent manner of her unanticipated return.

_It's true._ Yuuki realized with horror. The revelation mortified her.

"Is this," she said, taking small steps toward him with every word, "why you don't feel like fulfilling their expectations? Because everything you accomplish will automatically be attributed to him?"

The vampire clenched his fist experimentally before releasing it, otherwise remaining as still as a statue. His facial features assumed a similarly stony appearance.

Her cold fingers met his aristocratic cheek. She raised his face so that he couldn't avoid her imploring gaze.

"Tell me, Reiji." Yuuki whispered sadly. "Why do you refuse to ascend to higher heavens?"

His pupils glinted underneath her shadow. The first sign that her persuasive tone was finding a chink in his armor.

"... There's no need to be scared."

The petite blonde noticed an annoyed twitch in his countenance. It practically told her, "_Scared? Who would be scared of such a tiny thing like you?" _She was a happy-go-lucky daisy that he could crush with ease.

He perceived a slight air about her goading him like a haughty challenge: _Hah. Prove it_.

"She," he started slowly, pausing to clear his throat when his voice cracked. How humiliating. "My mother said that in this very room about a month before she passed away. She saw me studying and praised me for working so hard for my brother."

"How did you reply?" Yuuki prodded gently.

"I let her know she was disturbing me, and she fled the library with a few last words of _encouragement_." He chuckled disbelievingly. "Can you imagine the irony? The only time she gave me her approval was for the sake of that lazy ass."

"... the _only_ time?"

Reiji whet his thin lips, a small motion that revealed his anxiety. He rarely confided in others.

Yet, he saw no real harm in acknowledging his past sin. Yuuki had already witnessed so much. She'd gradually become aware of the various customs of the vampires and accepted them for the most part. Blood and violence were simply embedded in their nature and history.

"Well, other than the time when I arranged her own death." His expression hardened. "She seemed proud then... Died smiling since I finally achieved manhood."

Yuuki's hand slid off the side of his face.

"_Ah,_ so that's how Beatrix passed away." She seemed to look through him as she thought of Christa and Cordelia's fates. _All three wives killed by their children. _"I assume you were confessing your ultimate love to her."

"True, she wouldn't have noticed if I had said it in any other way... but I killed her out of anger. Not _love_."

His icy words shook her out of her temporary reverie. She gave him a hard stare.

"Did you achieve your revenge, Reiji?"

"Did I-?" He paused to contemplate her implication. "One could say that I accomplished what I had set out to do."

"You know that's not what I was asking."

"I beg to differ."

Yuuki sighed, resigning herself to beating around the bush. "Have you... admitted this to anyone else?"

"No. Father and the others are aware of what I've done. However, I am not crude enough to go around advertising it."

Somehow, she was glad that she learned about this horrid incident _now_ when she freaked out less about such things. It's not like she had grown _un_sympathetic in the face of tragedy... She simply gained the ability to remain (relatively) level headed. Reiji didn't act without compelling reason. Certainly, she was still a passionate supporter of non-violence but she could only hope to help erase any lingering bitterness after the fact.

"So I guess the skeleton's finally out of the closet, huh?"

Reiji gave her a pointed look before deciding that there was no reason to respond when she'd evidently come to her own conclusion.

Yuuki chewed on her bottom lip. He was clearly dancing around the subject.

"Have you not yet come to a resolution?"

No comment.

"... I'll take your silence as a no."

"Whatever suits your imagination."

"Oh, please, Reiji." Yuuki huffed abruptly. "Can't you be honest with me?"

"Have I been dishonest in any way?"

"Technically, no. But are you going to admit that the sacrifice wasn't worth it or not?"

"What good would that do?"

"You have a tendency to keep everything bottled up. Maybe you'd be able to come to terms with whatever is troubling you if you broke that habit once in awhile. Trust me on this."

He readjusted his glasses. "I admit that I wished she survived so I could have killed her properly."

Yuuki grit her teeth in an effort to remain stoic. This was _not_ the kind of admission she wanted. "So you weren't satisfied with committing murder the first time?"

"How can I be satisfied as long as that disgusting older brother of mine continues to reap the benefits of my hard work? His existence spoils my success."

"... It's not his fault, you know. The problem is your own restlessness."

Tired of towering over him, Yuuki flung herself back onto the opposing armchair. She decided to change subjects because steeping any longer in their current one would boil her over into a rage.

"You see, Reiji, you're one of the luckiest people alive. Look at the family you were born into and the resources you have. Nowhere else in the world would you find a better place to nurture and harness your skills, right? Your potential for success is unparalleled and Shu isn't the one who's keeping you from it."

"I fail to see where _restlessness_ factors into the equation."

In fact, restlessness was the very emotion that led him to seeking refuge in the library.

"How do I explain it...?" She looked off into the middle-distance. "You were placed in fortunate circumstances – like me. Unfortunately, we both feel caged by our surroundings and the responsibilities that come with living here."

He smiled grimly. They were so different from each other that he could hardly take such a comparison seriously.

"_Caged_, am I?"

"Like a bird who belongs to the sky." Yuuki replied with mellow conviction. "Now, _my_ question is whether or not you'll decide to set yourself free."

He could taste the sarcasm on his tongue. "How would one go about that, hmm?"

She eyed him sharply. "Do you want power, Reiji? Actually, no. That's not what you want, is it? You've always preferred to be of service."

"I don't know if I should be offended by that assumption."

"Actually, I'm not sure if you want power to break away or not," she corrected distractedly. "You are part of the old world order after all."

"Old world order?"

"Th-No, never mind. You won't like my definition."

"I don't like most things but I doubt that will stop you."

Normally, Yuuki would chuckle at this but was currently too serious to do so. For his sake, she relaxed before elaborating her point. Hopefully, calming herself would ensure that he would follow suit.

"I'm referring to your father," the vampirette began. "Karlheinz, to me, represents the Old World Order. Ayato is actively fighting against it so he's the New World Order. I am also part of the new world order although I'm not exactly _fighting_ against the previous one. If I had to categorize everyone else, umm... _Subaru, Kanato, Laito,_ and by extension to me, _Hitomi_ would be on our side. _You_ and _Shu_, however, would be on the other side of the line."

Reiji absently rapped his fingers against his armrest, displeased at being lumped in together with his older brother. "May I ask why?"

"You two are the ones who've always been at Karlheinz's side. Every time we kids have made a mess, for example, you older folks could be relied upon to clean up afterward." Yuuki gestured at him for emphasis. "That in itself fulfills your mother's wish because, if I'm not mistaken, Beatrix always hoped that her sons would be _needed_ by their father. So, if it's expectations you're worried about, haven't you already met them?"

The petite blonde let the idea sink in before continuing.

"Reiji, I believe you're feeling restless because you've already done whatever the old world order required from you. Your job is finished here." She clasped her hands together and released them meaningfully. "If you acknowledge that, then you're already free. It's time for you to spread your wings and discover the world outside of this place."

"... It sounds like you've thought about this for awhile."

"That's true," she admitted. "I always wondered why Ayato had to be sent away and it finally made sense to me. He needed real-world experience that he would never get if he was cooped up in this mansion. I stayed behind because I still have my studies... but Ayato was already prepared to go out because he did his homework as a child."

_That's genuinely something that he can thank Cordelia for... _Yuuki thought to herself.

"And I think Laito also realized that he had little to accomplish here." She offered a fleeting smile. "You were also ready to perform because Beatrix indirectly drove you forward – through your rivalry with Shu over her affection... Karlheinz is wise, Reiji. His decisions are intended to help us grow although it might not seem so at first. If you want to go do something that truly makes you happy, he'll be the last one to stop you. But I can tell you in advance that he won't. What kind of thank you would that be, right?"

"Humbug. The Vampire King isn't as generous as you believe him to be."

"He's really not as bad as you boys think he is," the girl insisted. "I mean, I can see why you wouldn't necessarily adore everything he does. I won't argue that he's a perfect being. Still, he has his own circumstances, you know?"

"I don't deny that. But..."

"_But_ it would be nice if you would try to understand him a little better. Not saying _you_ as in _just_ you, of course. Your brothers included."

"Easy for you to say. In the end, you are simply an outsider."

The vampirette looked a little hurt by the flippant comment.

"Forgive me." Reiji amended with a small pang of guilt.

She was awed by the uncharacteristic apology. Then again, he was always pretty chivalrous by principle.

"You have as many restraints as I do in this house," he explained as he picked up his discarded book. "Maybe more."

Yuuki nodded solemnly. "I don't think restraints are necessarily evil. They exist for good reasons and I find that there's no need to fight against them most of the time." She glanced up at the ceiling. "Exempli gratia, infinity exists _beyond_ zero and one as well as _between_ zero and one. Sure, there are boundaries but we're still free to explore the infinity within them."

"Mm. You could be a philosopher," he commented absently as he licked his thumb to turn a page. The rustle of paper brought her focus back down to him.

"You're not paying attention." Yuuki pouted.

"What would make you think that I'm capable of such an insensitive thing?" Reiji replied pseudo-dramatically, eyes scanning over the material in his hands.

She could take a hint...

The young vampirette began fidgeting with a platinum blonde lock, curling the end of it with her finger, as she watched him read. Her hair was down because she hadn't seen Kanato all night.

Reiji didn't seem to very focused. The activity only appeared to be an excuse to quit the unfinished conversation.

"Ugh. Were you always such a coward?" Yuuki whined when she noticed.

"Excuse me?"

"Fufu. If you keep making that face, you're going to have a permanent crease here," she trilled, pointing at the bridge between her own eyebrows as she mirrored his expression.

"Well, I'm sure I can handle the misfortune of an eternally ugly face. Wrinkles are far less unpleasant than the pressing matters at hand."

"Pfft. You're _not_ ugly!"

"Is that so?" Reiji asked as he averted his gaze. "I was under the impression that I was woefully disfigured."

"Huh? Why would you think something like that?!" Yuuki cried as she stood up in protest.

He seemed amused. "You're quite impassioned against my self-image, aren't you?"

"I think the female race would stand by me when I say you are… a-above average. For a dude."

"You hesitated."

The petite blonde flushed. "Yeah, okay, I meant to say that you're _handsome_. Happy now?"

"Haha. If you say it like that, I might misunderstand and think that you find _me_ attractive."

"Gah! That's why I didn't want to say it! I knew that you'd tease me." Yuuki covered her face in shame. "Look, I'm not attracted to you or anything so please don't say something so embarrassing. I just can't see why you wouldn't be confident in yourself when you've clearly been blessed with good genes."

His grin melted away.

"I wonder about that..." Reiji muttered as he took off his glasses to wipe them.

_Hmm? What's that supposed to mean?_

Little did she know, the question was plastered on her face. He was kind enough provide an answer.

"Without these," he said, "I'm legally blind. I've needed prescription lenses since I was a child."

"_So_?"

He silently exhaled through his nostrils. "You've been going around exclaiming how _lovely_ vampire vision is compared to human eye-sight. You should be able to put two-and-two together."

Yuuki stared at him as she tried to make sense of his cryptic hint.

"So you're saying... It's comparatively worse when a vampire has bad eye-sight?"

"Correct. I'm glad I didn't raise you as an idiot." Reiji sniffed, buttering up his own pride as her former tutor. "We are supposed to have superior senses as vampires, and especially as the royalty among vampires. It's disgraceful to have a child who can't fend for themselves. Frankly, most parents would've killed any handicapped offspring immediately... Therefore, if you truly wish to argue that either of my parents are capable of mercy, it would be because they allowed me to live."

She appeared a little dazed by his revelation. Killing innocent babies? Such a practice made her stomach churn in disgust. Reiji was lucky to have been spared. They must have truly loved him.

"Then why do you sound so negative about it?" Yuuki inquired, her fist trembling at her side. "Why can't you be proud of the life you've been given?"

Unruffled, he slid the thoroughly-cleaned glasses back on. "It's hard to thank someone for condemning you to a life of misery. I'd be much better off dead while my hands were still unsoiled."

The vampirette stalked over to him to pinch his cheeks painfully.

"You _loser_. When are you start going to be grateful for what you have?" Yuuki sneered as she tugged harder.

"Shuddup. Ith anyone should be gratheful, ith's thath goth-damn Shu."

One minute, they chatted blithely like the adults they were supposed to be – the next, they acted like the children they actually were. She let him go to put her hands on her hips, exhaling at length.

"My Lord, Reiji. Immaturity _really_ doesn't suit you. When did your stupid little inferiority complex run so deep, huh?"

The male ignored her to rub his abused jaw, muttering something along the lines of how scandalous it was to disrespect one's senpai in such a manner. She wanted to counter that he wasn't much older than herself but realized that the petty tangent would not help her case.

"Do I have to spell it out for you? You're the one making your own life miserable, so stop blaming Shu for everything. He wasn't responsible for being born first anymore than you were responsible for being his little brother. Has he ever _actively_ antagonized you? No, of course not. You know what he's like."

Everybody knew that Shu never bothered to expend any more time and energy than necessary.

"You spend your every waking moment trying to burn brighter than him although it's not like your under his shadow." Yuuki continued ranting. "I hope you realize what a self-centered, elitist _brat_ you sound like right now. And if you _really_ had a problem with people perceiving you as disfigured, you'd wear contacts. Face it – you don't actually believe that glasses make others think of you any differently." She rolled her eyes. "Seriously, how could someone as smart as you be so stupid. They respect and admire you regardless of something so insignificant. That won't change even if you follow your own path. So hurry up, Mister McBroody, and do something that actually makes you happy."

He frowned deeply because he couldn't deny the logic behind her insults. Her biting comments stung his emotional wounds like disinfecting hydrogen peroxide on a raw injury.

"If I knew that," he mumbled, "then I wouldn't be having a hard time picking a major, now would I?"

The vampirette perked up at the comment.

_Wait... You don't know what makes you happy? _Yuuki reiterated incredulously inside her head.

"Pff...bwhahahaha! You mean to say that you've never done anything that made you feel like, _Ah~ I did a good job_?"

He blinked at her. "What's so humorous?"

"HA. What the _hell_ have you been writing in all your applications? Surely, that was a common essay topic."

"I wrote whatever the readers wanted to hear. Now will you stop being so unreasonably loud?"

She chuckled boisterously with her entire body. "Come now, Reiji. Think! Think of _something_ before I die of laughter. What have you done for yourself or someone else that made you feel accomplished?"

He coughed awkwardly as he removed his gloves from his pocket. "I hate to say that it's not something I did with my own strength."

"That's fine." Yuuki consoled as she caught her breath. "What is it?"

"The potion."

"Hm? What potion?"

"The one I successfully concocted on the night of the awakening. I'm proud of that."

_Oh._

Her giggles were effectively tranquilized by his words.

"Then... I guess I know what career suits you best." Yuuki eventually announced.

"And that would be–?" Reiji inquired as he slipped on his gloves.

"Well, I want to figure it out on your own," the vampirette chirped in reply.

The white cloth snapped against his wrist and he brought his hand down. "Why won't you just tell me?"

She grinned expansively. "Because it's no fun if someone else tells you what you should or shouldn't do. You've had enough of that already."

"Ha. That's hardly motivating." Reiji replied with a heavy-dose of apathy.

"Oh, come on! You can't give up that easily." She ogled at him expectantly.

"I won't bother to solve your little riddle if the answer is to leave the decision up to me anyway," he countered. "I'm sure you just want to see me befuddled."

"I admit that that _would_ be funny."

"Your true intentions are showing, miss." He bowed mockingly. "Excuse me for robbing you of your diversion."

"Hmph! I thought you'd be more interested when I said I had the solution to your problem. Doesn't the mystery pique your curiosity?"

He tilted his head arrogantly. "Not particularly."

A sly smile replaced her pout.

"Let me change that."

The vampire regarded her wearily. "How?"

"Well, Reiji, let's assume that intellectuals such as yourself appreciate a puzzle or two."

Here they go again. "Alright."

"Now, there's one that I haven't quite figured out yet and I was hoping you could give me your take on it. Could you spare me a minute?"

He nodded. Sorting out through junk mail could wait.

Her smile broadened. "So, among the Sakamaki brothers, there are only two who haven't tried my blood."

He already didn't like the direction this was headed.

"Subaru, because he's my knight who's supposed to protect – not prey on – me. And then there's you... Why is that?"

Reiji glowered. "At first, I wasn't interested in fragile, lesser beings who could barely produce enough blood to keep herself alive. Secondly, I didn't feel like feeding on a fellow vampire once said creature had become one."

Yuuki waved her hand dismissively. "The reasoning doesn't make a really difference to me. You abstained – that's all that matters."

His pupils narrowed suspiciously. "What are you proposing?"

She tilted her chin proudly. "I am the undiscovered. You have yet to learn what makes my blood special."

"Are you suggesting that you'll allow me to sample it?"

The petite blonde laughed. "Not in the way that you're thinking, no. I'm not going to let you do any weird experiments to study its properties."

She beckoned him closer so that she could lean forward and whisper into his ear...

"_I'm offering a sensation, not information. So drink, Reiji, and have a taste of what you haven't experienced yet._"

* * *

A/N: My, my. Our little Yuuki has grown up to be quite the seductress... No, I'm just kidding. She's literally only trying to get him to stop being so reserved and allow himself to be openly curious about the world and the possibilities before him. And knowing how fascinating her blood is to the others, it's obviously become a card she's learned to use to her advantage. Oh, and have you guessed what career she thinks will suit him? (Hint: There's no doubt he'll be respected in this field.)

So the part about Beatrix complimenting Reiji actually popped up in the DiaLover Wikia the last time I checked (apparently a new game is out) and I thought it would be a perfect way to deepen his complex. And then I thought it would be funny if he also had an issue with his glasses. I mean, a vampire who doesn't have 40/20 vision? Hah. That's hilarious.

... Then I got depressed again because the creators obviously spent more time making sure the characters looked good rather than focusing on their personalities. It's like,_ "There's going to be six arrogant guys - okay? - and we'll make them seem different by giving them a few superficial characteristics to set them apart and hopefully people will buy it."_ Just, no. Sigh.

Anyway, I had this chapter written out almost instantly after the last one but fine tuning took a lot longer than I thought it would. These two characters deserve a spicy conversation and I'm still not sure if I nailed it. Also, I changed some of the chapter titles if you've happened to notice. Maybe not. Oh well.


	59. Quoting Shakespeare

Yuuki closed the door behind her and leaned on it heavily, knees a little weak. She patted her neck but the bite marks were evidently gone already.

She sighed deeply. It had been _quite_ awhile since Ayato had last pierced into her tender skin with his sharp fangs. A once-familiar sensation reintroduced to her by Reiji.

The second son had been surprisingly gentle about the entire affair. He tasted cautiously only because she had given her consent. After he finished, he simply thanked her for the meal and detached his hold on the vampirette. However, his curiosity clearly wasn't sated... just as she intended.

One could not remain unaffected after witnessing the wonder that was her blood.

She gave him a parting hug and he returned it in an unanticipated display of affection, burying his face against her hair and kissing her temple in the platonic fashion that her father used to embrace her. Yuuki smiled against his chest.

How fitting – the nature of their hug.

Reiji truly was a temporary father-figure to her. Or, because that sounded a bit weird, he was a paternal support as her former care-taker? No, no. An older brother then. She never had any older brothers before but she was sure this was how it should feel to have one.

Yuuki remembered the little orphans she had left behind when she had moved away from the church. As an only child, they had been the cute siblings she never had. Once upon a time, she considered becoming a nun so that the children could forever call out, _"Sister, Sister!" _long after they grew up. She chuckled at the memory.

_Ah~ how lovely, the sweet familial bond of faith!_

The petite blonde sent them imaginary kisses from afar. Oh, how she missed them.

Yuuki pushed herself away from the door and went to find Karlheinz. On the way, Kanato scurried up to her and threw herself at her feet.

"Wha~? What's the matter?!" Yuuki exclaimed at the boy kneeling in front of her.

"Yuu-chan, forgive me."

"For what?"

"I did something inexcusable."

Yuuki plopped down next to him with concern.

"Hey, you know I've already forgotten about our little argument the other day," she murmured soothingly. "You don't have to apologize. I'm not angry."

Kanato shook his head, sending his lilac bangs out of his face.

"N-no, it's not that." He bit his lip. "I, uhh, drank some of Hitomi-san's blood. I'm sorry. I knew she was exclusive but I couldn't help myself. I felt guilty for betraying you like that."

Yuuki gasped. "Is she okay?"

Kanato visibly relaxed. It was just like Yuu-chan to be concerned about the injured before the offense committed against herself.

"Oh, yeah. She's fine. Don't worry about her – I didn't rough her up too badly or anything... You're not going to scold me?"

The petite blonde smiled. "No, I'm sure you didn't hurt her."

"How come? I thought everyone knew that I hated her guts."

"Ah, there you have it. _Hated_? Past tense? And when did you start calling her _Hitomi_-san, eh?" Yuuki tousled his hair affectionately. "It looks like you two have finally started to get along. If you had really hurt her, then I'm sure she'd have come running back to my side rather than avoid me. Come to think of it, I wonder where she's hiding."

"She'll probably pop her head out of her mouse hole after the wound closes. I'm sure she didn't want to be around you when you figured out what happened. Normally, vampires lash out in anger."

"Oh, no! I would've healed it for her. Now it might scar!"

Kanato laughed as scrambled onto his legs. "_That's_ what you're worried about? God, Yuu-chan, this is why I love you."

"You _love_ me?" Yuuki asked skeptically, a light blush tinting her face.

"Yup. You're an oddity. Like me." He pulled her up before crinkling his nose. "Why do you have Reiji's scent on you?"

"Uhh~ We were having our own feeding session," the vampirette admitted shyly.

Kanato squeezed her hand. "Hey, don't go around cheating on my little brother, okay? I'm sure none of us triplets would be happy to hear that our partners were been giving favors to other guys."

"Alright, it's _nothing_ like that! I was just giving Reiji some much-needed assistance. The blood was simply some added incentive and it won't happen again."

He rolled his eyes. "_Sure_."

Yuuki banged their clasped hands against his outer thigh. "I'm serious, Kanato! Stop making it sound wrong."

"Uh-huh. Care to explain why you needed to _assist_ him?"

She sniffled. "Sorry, but that's confidential information that I don't have the liberty to share. Ask him directly."

"Eww. I don't want to hear that silverware-otaku say that he's been making out with someone."

"Kanato! I wouldn't kiss my boyfriend's _brother_." Yuuki screeched, sporting fifty shades of pink.

He cocked his head before pulling her into an embrace. She landed flat against him with a small yelp.

"Really? So you wouldn't kiss me either, Yuu-chan?" Kanato asked with a taunting smile.

"Ooh, you caught me red-handed. I lied. I could snog you until your brains melt, baby." Yuuki replied sarcastically. She swatted at him playfully. "Now, let go of me before I rearrange your face, Kanato-kun."

Instead, he wrapped his arms tighter around her waist.

"Is that even possible?"

She pouted. "Don't underestimate the fact that I was taught by a dude who could send a horse flying with a single punch."

He snorted at her threat. "Charming. However, I don't see how Subaru's strength is going to stop me from jumping you right now."

"Kanato~ Stop, that tickles! I'm saving myself for Ayato~!"

"Hmphf," he grumbled as he stopped torturing her. "I'm pretty sure I know your body better than he does as your stylist and all."

"_Kanato_!" Yuuki protested in shock.

"Seriously, remember how red he was when he saw you in your underwear that one time? Gah, _such_ a virgin."

She couldn't help but chuckle before giving him a stern look. "Just so you know, Hitomi does _not_ appreciate helping me into all those corsets you force her to put on me."

He shrugged unapologetically. "All for the sake of fashion, ma chérie... You know, it's ridiculous how she kicks me out all the time. I mean, I'm planning on drawing you like one of my French girls sometimes sooo it's pretty pointless to act overly bashful when I'm just dressing you up."

"I am so not going to pose nude for you." Yuuki said firmly. "I'd be totally creeped out if Teddy was watching."

"One more word against Teddy and I'll rape you." Kanato growled light-heartedly.

"And no thanks to the sex with the overgrown child, too." She pulled away from him a little, her hands resting on his elbows. "What's up with you today?"

"I guess I just realized I have harbored a secret fetish for sexy nuns," he joked.

"Noo, you can't use twist my celibacy like that." Yuuki groaned.

He loosened his grip on her to bring her pendant to his lips with his freed hand. He kissed the silver cross. "Love the Lord and his angels _with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind_, right?"

She sighed. "When have _you_ started spouting off biblical quotes, huh?"

"I think you've just rubbed off on me. Now,_ get thee to a nunnery, go._"

"God, now it's _Shakespeare_." The vampirette shook her head in defeat. "Your English is very good by the way."

"Yes, we lived in Europe for a few years before moving to Japan. It's been about a decade now."

"Oh really? I thought this was the same mansion as the one in Cordelia's memories. Christa's tower looked exactly the same as the one here."

"Only two of them spent their last days here. Most of this house is imported actually. Father modeled this one after our childhood home. "

"Oh no! I just forgot he's probably waiting for me," she yelped in horror. "I'd have found him if you hadn't started flirting all of a sudden. Ugh, and now I probably smell like Reiji _and_ you. What will you father think?"

Kanato chuckled as he let her go. "It's fairly obvious what he'll think." He gestured at the air. "Anyone can practically see this tension between us."

"Haha. Let's not forget I'm reserved for Ayato. Just this once, I won't let him know that you've been hitting on me."

"But," he whined in a comical voice, "you deserve so much better than that ass, Yuu-chan."

"Pfft. I fell for that fine ass - I can't help it."

"He may be a fine ass and he may be a rich ass, but don't forget that he's still an ass."

"Okay, okay. It's not that easy to forget in the first place."

"By the way, how were you going to plan on letting him know?" Kanato asked as they began to walk down the corridor. Yuuki's amused smile vanished.

The vampirette didn't even realize that she looked like a kicked puppy until she spotted her reflection in a mirror across the hall. Coincidentally, it was the full-length one Karlheinz had used to contact the boys after they had reached Africa.

Kanato followed her gaze.

"You know... I could probably figure out how to use that for you," he suggested quietly, feeling horrible for reminding her of her immense pain.

She turned back to him with dangerously hopeful eyes.

"Really?" Yuuki whispered. "You would do that?"

"Yeah. Think of it as a favor in return for borrowing your human."

_I don't own Hitomi or anything._

She merely nodded, however, unable to speak on behalf of the part-nephilim. Kanato pat her on the shoulder.

"Just so you know, I'm rooting for you and Ayato," he said quietly. "I heard about Subaru's confession and I was just trying to cheer you up earlier with my antics. So don't look so down. And don't tell Father about any of this either – we could get into trouble."

"I won't... Thank you."

"No problem. As your personal cupid, I think it's acceptable for me to give your romance an occasional push in the right direction."

"Hehe, when did you become my personal cupid?"

"I'm _heartbroken_, Yuu-chan. Who was the one who helped you prepare for your first date, huh?"

She smiled at his theatrics.

"Sorry, my bad. I wouldn't be able to survive without your support, truly." The petite blonde scuttled away from him. "Anyways, I gotta run. See you at dinner."

"Bye bye." Kanato called out with a good-natured wave. He looked back at the mirror.

"_You better take good care of her, little brother._"

* * *

A/N: Two chapters in one weekend! Do you love me, or do you love me? Or do you just love Sassy!Kanato and not me? ... Yes? Oh, darn. And here I was, hoping you'd flatter me a little. #LonerInTheCorner #IKnowIKnowStopRubbingItInOkay

Also, my brother's coming back home today so now I need to go clean like I'm a super-nanny on some kinda drug. Yikes.


	60. Partners in Crime

A/N: Geez, I totally forgot the timing in my version of DiaLovers so I decided to write out a little recap to make sense of things.

1) After her parents died from an accident during her infancy, a kind priest named Seiji Komori adopts and raises Yuuki. While growing up at the church, she acts as a mother-figure to the other orphans, which fosters her caring personality. It's important to note that _her birth parents were foreigners_ since Yuuki was initially under the impression that the Sakamaki brothers were her long-lost cousins – a belief reinforced by the fact they were also obviously not of Japanese descent – before realizing that they were vampires. This also explains her naturally blonde hair and pale skin and why she considers herself as an "exception to the system in every sense."

2) In my version, the brothers _spent their childhood in Europe before moving to Japan about ten years prior to the story_. Most of Cordelia's memories are centered around this time period, but Yuuki mistook their setting as the mansion that they currently live in due to their physical similarity. When Ayato said that Christa "was in the other tower," he meant the one back in Europe, mistakenly believing that Yuuki had already known that they weren't born in Japan. Basically, Subaru killed his mother when he was still a child without fully understanding the horrible thing his mother was asking him to do. Consequently, Christa never moved along with the rest of the family... This casts some doubt on the nature of the boys' citizenship because Japan has ridiculously complicated naturalization laws but I'm going to assume that everything worked out because Tougo Sakamaki is their father. However, I figured that this is all fairly probable because Shu once befriended a boy named _Edgar_ – which is practically impossible to pronounce correctly in the Japanese language – and would periodically sneak out to his village to play together.

3) After reaching adolescence, Reiji orchestrates his mother's death and the triplets kill Cordelia. The murders are an accepted practice according to supernatural law so the boys face no immediate repercussions for their actions. Around this time, Yuuki faces many health complications which lead her to require extensive surgery including an organ transplant. As she and Cordelia have the same blood type (O-negative), Richter jumps on the opportunity to donate the latter's heart before the corrupt soul dies. This begins Yuuki's gradual transformation process from human to vampire. Due to her weak constitution (characterized by chronic anemia and general lack of physical strength), Seiji decides to entrust Yuuki in the care of his close friend, Tougo Sakamaki, when he goes abroad. Not a coincidence, I assure you.

4) I believe Yuuki transferred to Ryoutei Academy in mid-summer as a second year (high school in Japan is from 10th to 12th grade) and lives as a human for about two months before the awakening occurs, during which "Revised" takes place.

5) I would say that the first nineteen chapters of "Rebirth" cover early fall. She begins a proper relationship with Ayato after the imbalance between human-and-vampire ceased to exist, but remains cooped up in her room for a substantial period of time. Therefore, Yuuki would have missed her school's Cultural Festival which is traditionally at the beginning of November... which is _why_ I didn't write anything centered on that event although I thought it would be fun.

6) Yuuki returns to school only for disaster to strike immediately. Chapters 20 through 48 essentially covers one week in the middle of fall where Ayato retaliates against Yuuki's tormentors and Karlheinz makes his first appearance. Basically, Lilith's gang attacks Yuuki and Ayato saves her and initiates his revenge on the first night. The next morning, Yuuki learns about their bloody demise and the boys consider their options. The second night, Ayato discovers Yuuki's ability to heal and his father arrives and promptly whisks Yuuki away before returning to interrogate Nakusa. On the fourth night, Yuuki decides to confront the part-nephilim again and gives the her the name Hitomi. On the fifth night and the following morning, Subaru begins training Yuuki who experiences her first feeding after being provoked by Karlheinz. On the sixth night, Ayato spends his last moments in Japan with Yuuki and knocks her unconscious so that he can catch his flight without her knowing. Yuuki eventually comes to and Karlheinz allows her to contact Ayato and Laito on the seventh night. School reopens now that the murders have been covered up by the supernatural authorities. Unlike any other institution, Ryoutei Academy is fairly unfazed by the temporary shut down because it accommodates for extensive absences anyway (its students are mostly celebrities who have irregular schedules)... Trust me, the punctual Japanese would normally_ flip out_ if their plans were disturbed so profoundly – just look up their _Shinkansen_ Bullet Trains.

7) In the winter, Yuuki tries to overcome her feelings of loneliness, especially during the holidays. She finds comfort in special places (like the chapel and the library), the company she is surrounded with, and various activities. In the meanwhile, Reiji and Shu are busy with their post-graduation preparations and examinations.

8) At the end of winter, Hitomi and Kanato finally come to terms with each others' existences and Subaru confesses to Yuuki on the same night. Later on, Yuuki offers Reiji some advice on how to move forward and Kanato promises to help Yuuki contact his two missing siblings...

9)… And we finally reach spring. Yay!

Whew, that was certainly a lot to take in but I didn't like the idea of making Yuuki reminisce about her life or something. For one, that seems excessively moody and filler-ish and secondly, I felt that I wouldn't be able to address some important details – such as the cultural differences I considered while writing this – if it was in her point of view. Hence, the excessively long-winded note.

**I kinda want to leave it at that but I think having an Author's Note on its own is illegal by fictionpress law. So,** **I promise to add a little bit of the story at the end of this after I ****respond to**** a guest review. If you don't care to read it, skip this part.**

_Dear Mameshibaa (btw your nickname choice is adorable),_

_I'm truly humbled by your comment. I feel that there's three great compliments for an author like me: knowing that your work has made a reader cry, lose sleep, or review even if they aren't obligated to do so. You've flattered me with two of those already. And thank you for reassuring me that I can take my time with this. I literally spent 4 hours researching sheep today to make Ayato's story more realistic before realizing that most readers won't care what particular breed he's taking care of, etc. Regardless, that is the extent I spend for each installation so I'm elated that you appreciated these efforts even if I may be treading on my readers' collective patience by not updating as quickly as I wish I could._

_I've addressed my stance on the Mukami Brothers privately to other individuals but it may be time to announce my plans for them. __The following is a message that I sent to somebody else concerning this very issue: _

"_See, the thing is I started this project after watching the anime (which I was anything but fond of) and any further canon content is based off the manga anthology and the DiaLover wikia (which I bothered to read for the sake of research). If you look closely at some of my chapters, I have vaguely mentioned their existences yet I don't find them necessary for my purposes. I don't know what the Mukami boys are like and didn't even know they existed until __one__ guest reviewer asked if I was going to include them in Spanish awhile back. You can imagine my confusion - I thought "Mukami" was some foreign word that couldn't be translated and kept having to google it until I realized that it referred to the vampire brothers._

_So no, I probably won't be including them. It took me a really long time to create an adequate image of Karlheinz in my head, who I still have to flesh out properly in the following chapters, and I doubt I can introduce truly 3-dimensional characters when I'm already juggling with the existing cast. Also, I'm actually trying to wrap this story up because it's been almost a year since I've started writing it. Right now, I'm trying to address all of the characters and give them a proper farewell. All the main plot points have already been planned out and I'm hesitant about adding any distracting side-stories..._

_Sorry about this. I just don't feel I'd give the Mukami brothers the justice they deserve. Improving upon the "original" was the entire point of my fanfics and it feels wrong to be half-baked about it. But please, by all means, come up with your own creative little scenarios based on mine. I found that there's great pleasure in adding to and perfecting a story that wasn't as satisfying as you'd hope it to be. I hated Diabolik Lovers the first time I watched it. I probably still do. However, by adopting the characters as my own, I've come to love them and the way they grow. They've become special to me and I totally understand your feelings too._

_Thank you, again, for your interest in my story thus far. I simply wanted to give you a proper response because I really do love my readers and value their comments and suggestions. Please continue to support me and I hope what I have to offer isn't too disappointing."_

... I know, I know. I'm letting my precious readers down but this is a sacrifice I'm willing to take. Apparently, there's a second season of Diabolik Lovers coming out this September (_groan_) that includes the Mukami brothers. Yes, I will watch it for the sake of my ethics as a writer. It seems wrong to avoid it when I'm already this involved. However, I'll be trying to finish "Rebirth" before that airs so that my continued stubbornness is justified. Anyways, I've rambled for long enough. On with the story!

* * *

Yuuki was impressed that it took Kanato less than a week to figure out the workings of the _Demon's Mirror_ as he called it and make the necessary preparations. During a lunch period, the two stole away to a rarely-used stairway and discussed the plan over copious amounts of goodies from the school bakery. They figured that it was safer to talk about it at Ryoutei Academy where members of the family were less likely to eavesdrop.

"Okay," he said as he took an ample bite. An archaic book lay open on his lap. "Thoo~ the motht intherething-"

"Kanato, don't talk with your mouth full."

The boy frowned at her before swallowing. "_As I was saying_, the most interesting thing is that Father wasn't the one who initiated the connection. It must have been Laito."

"What do you mean?" Yuuki asked with unabashed curiosity, tearing off the end of her chocolate cornet.

"The main ingredient is, quite unsurprisingly, the blood of a demon... But Father is pure vampire, right? My oh-so-corrupt mother, however, was the Demon Lord's daughter and graciously passed her genes on to us. And it can't have been Ayato either since he seemed ignorant of the entire affair... A little less so than you but you get the point. Anyway, remember how Laito was already there when Father opened our end of the link?"

"Mhmm."

"They must have decided to contact each other beforehand. So like I said, Laito created the link in the first place _after_ he knew for certain that there would be a response."

"Won't that be a problem for us?"

"That's exactly what I was getting to." He chewed on his melon bread with subdued frustration. "The system is outdated and people rarely use it. I mean, why would they when they can just call each other or use the internet?"

She licked some creme off of her thumb. "Why are _we_ going through the hassle, then?"

"Because you can reach anybody, anywhere, with almost perfect connection if you use the Demon's Mirror. Even if you don't know their exact whereabouts and they are completely isolated from any semblance of technology." Kanato quirked an eyebrow at her. "I just want to know if you have the patience to potentially wait a couple of hours before Laito decides to look at his own reflection and realize something's up."

"Yes." Yuuki breathed without hesitation. "I can wait years if I have to, but being able to talk to them sooner would mean the world to me."

"Which is why I'm helping you do this. Again, don't breathe a word about this to anybody."

Yuuki put a light hand on his knee. "Thank you for your concern, but you know I won't jeopardize our criminal operations."

He laughed. "No, I don't doubt _you_. But I generally don't trust goody-two-shoes to keep themselves from notifying the authorities."

She squeezed his knee before pulling away. "Harhar, very funny... I have one condition, though. If somebody happens to walk in on us, we'll own up to our actions, okay? We shouldn't have to feel guilty for wanting to see our friends."

"Friends?"

The vampirette rolled her eyes. "Brothers. Boyfriends. Yes, they are our friends. Problem?"

"Heh. Not at all, Yuu-chan."

They sat quietly as they finished their meal, poring over the weathered pages of his book. She couldn't read the text (it was either in a different language or the author had some _really_ messed up handwriting), but it looked like setting up the Demon's Mirror was a quite a dark procedure in itself.

"Couldn't we let Subaru know, at least?" Yuuki piped up as she crumpled her wrapper and collected their trash.

"What good would that do?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe he could act like a watchdog – warn us if someone's about to barge in on us."

"No need." Kanato replied dismissively. The petite blonde nodded and let the subject drop.

"Hey, so I've been wondering~"

The purple-haired vampire was startled when she suddenly leaned her weight against his shoulder.

"Hmm?" He turned his head, his chin scraping against her fair locks, to see that the tips of her ears were flushed. "What's the matter, Yuu-chan?"

"How did you know about Subaru's confession?"

"Oh, that." He sighed, taking a moment to stretch his legs out on the steps. "Vampires don't normally talk about their abilities because that would be giving away their secrets. You don't really know that unspoken rule because you're a newborn and we tend to explain things when the need arises."

"What does this have to do with abilities?"

"Heightened Sense and Perception, Yuu-chan." Kanato answered curtly. "That's my most powerful ability. Out of all the Sakamaki brothers, my senses are the best. I can tell when somebody's approaching – which is why we don't need a watchdog. And, this is kind of animalistic, but I can feel when a person's distressed. Like how the heart has a natural reflex when somebody lies. If I know this person well enough, I can guess what triggered them."

Her eyes widened so that her long blonde lashes nearly touched her brows. "_Mind reading_?"

He chuckled and pinched her cheeks fondly. She grumbled internally about her lasting baby fat, even if they gave her a cute appearance which others certainly seemed to appreciate.

"Something like that. I've long been aware of the fact that Subaru's insides would get all thump-ity whenever he was with you. So when I bumped into him and asked if he saw you, it took one glance at his face to realize what happened. I caught him off guard and he spilled the beans."

Feelings of guilt chilled her into goosebumps. "Oh."

Kanato rubbed her arm companionably. The conversation was headed toward regret-land again, which he did not appreciate.

"You know, perfect sense is a blessing for an artist," the vampire continued with a sunny tone. "It helps me recreate God's universe."

"You believe in God?" Something told her that his version of the Lord was far more occult then her own.

He gave the vampirette a pointed look. "I believe in divine beauty when I see it, Yuu-chan."

She blushed at his indirect compliment. It was as if he was calling her an angel or something equally as flattering.

"Stop that. I possess none of the kind." Yuuki scoffed, willing to nip the tangent about his religious views at the bud.

The corner of his lips lifted. "On the other hand, I wonder why I can control fire. So that it would illuminate my work? Or because it's a destructive power?"

"That's very poetic of you, Kanato. To be able to destroy what you have created."

"It is, isn't it?"

He nudged away from her to stand up with a yawn. He took a couple of steps down before turning around, meeting her at eye-level. "Or maybe I should simply chalk it up as a product of my nobility."

The vampirette studied him with serious, appraising eyes. "Maybe the fire's a metaphor for your burning passion for the things you do."

He grinned like the Cheshire cat.

"I like that interpretation," the vampire stated approvingly. "Makes me sound like I have something significant to contribute to the world."

"Yes." Yuuki replied, brushing crumbs off her skirt. "I'm sure others are jealous of what you have."

"Haha, yeah right. Who'd be jealous of the teenager who can't sleep without his stuffed animal friend?"

She giggled at his self-deprecation. "Reiji, maybe?"

"Reiji?" Kanato repeated with comical disbelief. "Why would that over-achieving half-brother of mine be jealous of _me_? I'm the _middle _child. Trust me, being in the middle is the _worst_," he quipped, wrinkling his nose for emphasis.

Yuuki forced herself to avoid snorting because doing so would violate the lady-like manner that she was supposed to adopt.

"You have perfect senses," she explained.

"... Don't tell me that butler-of-a-brother has got a complex about his glasses, now."

She smiled expansively at Reiji's expense. "Bulls-eye."

Kanato face-palmed. "Lord, of all things... Actually, no, it makes sense. I'd be frustrated as well if my steaming hot tea kept fogging up my lenses every evening." He let his hand drop to his hip. "I swear, he lives by that meal _religiously_. I hope he moves back to England one day so he doesn't seem like such a weirdo. And don't give me crap about me being a weirdo myself. I know it best."

_What's wrong about being a little weird? I personally think that makes people more interesting._

"You make that word sound so despicable."

"What? Religiously? Not that I have anything against it. Religion and Art go hand-in-hand after all." He sniffed disdainfully. "Reiji's more of a science junkie."

"Well, while you go ahead and hate on the Sciences, I'm going to sit back and appreciate the fact that your family is well-rounded. It's a good thing that you have different strengths." Yuuki chirped.

She made a motion to push herself up but Kanato offered his hand to help her. When she clasped it, he muttered, "What do you mean _your family _as if it's all distant and unrelated from you." His grip tightened. "As far as I'm concerned, you are my sister. I don't care which of my brothers you end up marrying. We share blood, you and I. This family is your own. And it's not just blood that defines our bond. We are family in spirit, too."

Yuuki smiled shyly as she was pulled up. "Thank you. That means a lot to me."

"No need to thank me, Yuu-chan. I just want you to know that we are not _just_ friends. Hitomi can be your _friend_. But the Sakamaki boys are closer than that, got it?"

The vampirette paused to mull his words before nodding solemnly. "Got it."

Kanato nudged the plastic bag out of her hand. "Alright, I'll go toss this while you head back. Class is about to start."

"Okay. See you in a bit." Yuuki replied obediently and he magically disappeared from sight.

Normally, she'd get angry at him for doing so in public, but this was a relatively hidden spot. It would defeat the purpose of meeting on the staircase if someone witnessed them performing supernatural activities.

The petite blonde hobbled down the staircase and somehow managed to trip on the second-to-last step of her desired floor.

"Whoa! Careful," a husky voice exclaimed. The man chuckled as he steadied the girl. "That was almost a ticket to my infirmary."

She looked up at her aid and was surprised to find the oft-absent and notoriously good-looking school doctor, Reinhart, holding her by the elbow.

"Thank you, sir." Yuuki blurted out, clumsily bowing as he walked away.

"Anytime, my dear." Reinhart-sensei called back, winking over his shoulder.

The vampirette wandered back to class in a half-daze, thinking about the brief encounter long after she'd taken her seat. His parting phrase had struck her as odd. No, maybe it was just his overall aura. One did not simply run into adult vampires on a normal basis, especially if said adult was a perfect stranger.

Yuuki huffed as she shook off the unnerving feeling of familiarity. It was either a case of déjà vu or something about her made older males think that they could call her "my dear" with no questions asked...

She blamed it on the baby fat.


	61. Oh, Brother!

The evening was hot and stuffy. Most days were simply hot and _dry.._. As in, dusty, thirsty landscape for miles. Maybe it was a different story further North during the wintertime... but that hardly mattered in the here-and-now.

The livestock milled around in mild distress from the humidity. The local farmers, however, hoped for the slight chance of rain. That was always a good thing in a desert.

Rain was prosperity. Rain was cleansing.

Ayato wiped a bead of sweat from the back of his neck – his own cool touch refreshing against the heat – and glared up at the hazy, setting sun. Nope. It was fairly obvious that the sky had no intention of granting a single, refreshing drop. Swatting at a mosquito, he herded his flock to a greener location. Luckily, they were a hardy breed of hair sheep, meaning that they didn't have to worry about thick, wool coats weighing upon their bodies. Good for them. They could count "people" to sleep in peace tonight.

Satisfied that they would be safe, the vampire retired to his tent. It was a modest dwelling far below his usual standards, but he preferred to live alone with the sheep rather than under the scrutiny of Ahmed's family. The arrangement worked because sometimes even _Ayato_ himself wondered why he didn't tan under the excessive exposure to the sunlight, which had been slightly uncomfortable at first. He'd become accustomed to the bright ball of fire over time yet remained as pale as the moon that he grew up with. If that didn't scream that he wasn't quote-unquote _normal_, Ayato didn't know what was.

Not that being fair skinned was particularly abnormal. There was far more ethnic variety in this region of Africa than he'd expected. His older brother had scoffed at his surprise, stating that if he'd bother to pay any attention in world history, he'd know that "many kinds of people existed together" and muttered something about "cultural diffusion" or whatever the hell that was. At least he wasn't racist.

A new, unfamiliar scent tickled Ayato's nose as he approached the tent. Jerked him away from his musings. He stopped in his tracks and sniffed the air. A long, low moan floated out from inside and the vampire suddenly knew what it was... Lust.

"LAITO," he roared, ripping aside the fabric that covered the entryway. "Don't just disappear only for me to find you whoring out in _my_ room, you disgusting piece of shit."

Laito stopped thrusting into – okay, he didn't even want to know who the naked chick underneath the blanket was – and looked up in shock only to recover almost immediately. Apparently being caught red-handed doing something dirty didn't faze him. Much.

"What? No _welcome home_?" His tone was deceptively casual.

"Shut up." Ayato crossed his arms angrily. "You have ten seconds to explain yourself. Where the fuck have you gone for the past few weeks? Actually, no, I don't give a crap. Take the girl and leave. NOW."

"Aww. And here I thought you actually were worried about me for once." Laito received a middle finger at this and his smirk widened. "Regardless, I'd politely ask you to let us finish but it seems wrong to kick you out of your own place."

At the word _us_, Ayato warily let his gaze drop down to the partner-in-crime. Her hooded hazel eyes were curiously regarding the intruder – namely himself – but there was something off about her expression. It wasn't one of carnal pleasure... More like a dreamy aspect as if she wasn't fully _there_ in the moment.

He groaned. "Don't tell me you drugged her so that she wouldn't remember her little tryst with a vampire. That's rape, man."

Laito's teasing, fang-baring grin dropped into a frown. He looked both offended and a tad sorrowful. Guilty, even. "No. Not drugs."

"What's wrong with her, then?" Ayato asked, reaching out to touch her flushed cheek. His brother blocked the fingers with a wrist.

"Gently. Please." Laito whispered as he retracting his shield. A little baffled by the plea, the younger triplet awkwardly tucked a sweaty lock of curly, black hair behind the girl's ear before moving away sharply.

Laito looked down at the girl with pure empathy. It was hard to imagine that there was any ill will behind it.

"It's not drugs – it's vampire poison. The slow-acting kind. Don't worry about PTSD or anything. She won't remember this because she's going to die in a few minutes. So, if you'd be so kind, Ayato, please leave us alone until then."

Dumbfounded by the clear lack of malicious intent, Ayato just nodded and stormed out of the tent, glad to put distance between them.

Hell. It was freaking weird to walk in on something like that. Why had he even believed that would be a good idea in the first place? He was an idiot, through and through.

Feeling icky and downright confused, Ayato plopped down onto the slope of a small hill. He dropped his head into his hands, the heels of his palms pressed against his closed eyes. The calming sounds of his sheep, baa-ing amongst themselves under the stars, helped bring his ragged breathing back to normal.

The night brought relief from the day's heat. Deserts only knew extremes – boiling in the day, freezing once the sun dipped away from sight. The humidity, however, lingered a bit longer. He didn't find it nearly as unpleasant now.

Laito found the youngest of the triplets crouched in the same position forty-five minutes later. He chuckled as he settled down next to Ayato.

"Was that too much for your virgin eyes, li'l bro?"

"Shut your trap." Ayato replied with a huff as he tilted his head to see Laito was smiling at him. "You know, you seem awfully chipper after committing murder. _She_ wasn't good enough in bed for you, eh?"

Laito fiddled with his ruddy-brown hair and sighed. "_She_ has a name you know."

Ayato raised his eyebrows expectantly.

"I'd tell you but I don't know it. So I called her Esmeralda. And she was perfectly divine – _I_ had no problem with her," he continued.

The younger brother snorted. "I guess it's easy for you to toss whatever you picked up randomly on the streets. Have fun on your trip?"

"Put a sock on it, Ayato." Laito growled. "I found Esmeralda in the city, about to jump from a roof. She couldn't stand the abuse from her boyfriend, you know. She was going to kill herself anyway. I just offered to help her die in a more beautiful manner. Which is, obviously,_ la mort d'amour avec un bel homme_."

"I couldn't care less about her problems. They aren't ours. If you'd let her commit suicide, we wouldn't have to deal with a freaking body right now." Ayato sneered in reply, rolling his eyes for good measure.

It was Laito's turn to snort. "Puh-lease, when have vampires ever been afraid of corpses, huh? She's still warm, by the way. I left half her blood if you want it."

"No thanks. I don't want your leftovers."

The elder triplet shrugged. "Suit yourself. But I will point out that you never had problems with sharing before. Kanato didn't create that collection of sacrificial brides on his own."

"Eww. I don't want to remember what we did to those bitches." He shivered in disgust at the memory of Laito biting a supple inner thigh while he claimed the same girl's neck. They were _animals_ back in the day.

"Hmm? I'm just saying I wouldn't pass up the chance to feed on a perfectly willing girl if I were you. Not that I have anything against our friend Ahmed, but grown men are a tad unpleasant in comparison..."

"Wow. Picky eater, much?"

"Well, I wouldn't have any qualms about a cute guy. But I guess blood is blood."

"Your dietary preferences are the least of my concerns."

"So what's eating you? Other than Esmeralda, of course."

"... Why were you in the city in the first place?"

Laito stiffened at the accusation lacing the words. His vivid green eyes locked onto Ayato's matching ones.

"We need to talk."

"Isn't that what we're doing?" Ayato asked sarcastically. When he failed to get a reaction, he waved at the scene before them. "So do you just enjoy leaving me with these primitive people and their pets when you go off on your own adventures?"

The older brother shook his head. "They aren't primitive, Ayato."

"No?"

"Maybe uneducated and impoverished, but not primitive."

"Ahmed's not uneducated."

"Haha, true. Ahmed's a bit different – he's a scholar in his own right. The whole point of putting you under his care was so that you'd learn something from these people." He bit his bottom lip thoughtfully. "Anyway, I came here of my own free will. You don't really have a right to try to tie me to you." Laito said, not unkindly.

Ayato wrapped his arms around his knees and rested his chin on them. "I don't know why you tagged along in the first place," he grumbled to himself.

Laito regarded the boy with amusement. "I wanted to make sure my baby brother would be okay."

"Ha. I don't need you. I can take care of myself perfectly fine."

"I know... That's why I'm leaving."

Ayato snapped out of his sulky mood. "Wha-_Again_?!"

"Not like that. Esmeralda was a one-time thing. Besides, I wasn't screwing around this entire time." Laito replied with a sad smile. He took a deep breath. "I decided to graduate early, Ayato. Hate to break it to you so suddenly, but I kept visiting the city in order to take my exams and stuff. I'll be going back to Japan to join the ceremony with Shu and Reiji... I don't know if I'll come back afterward."

The younger vampire felt like he had the wind knocked out of him.

"W-why didn't you tell me this before?" Ayato spluttered.

"I didn't know if I could do it. I wanted to see if I could before announcing my intentions... _Surprise_."

"Surprise is goddamn right. Congratulations, I guess. I don't doubt your intelligence enough to not believe that this is happening but, sheesh, what's with you and not giving warnings about anything?"

"I think it makes it all the more exciting," he replied with a wink. His mirth sobered a second later. "I hope you don't hold this against me, Ayato."

"Eh? No, of course not. I'm just relieved to know that you haven't left home just to spread STDs to half of the human population."

"You aren't angry that I'm abandoning you or anything?"

"As if. I've been trying to get you off my case for ages." Ayato joked with an almost-painful smile. "But you're going to have to let me sleep on this tonight. This is all too much to dump on me at once."

"No problem." Laito jumped onto his feet and offered his hand. "And to make it up to you, I cleaned up your place before finding you. There shouldn't any signs of sex left."

"Gross."

Ayato let himself be pulled up. He glanced at their clasped hands in momentary bewilderment.

"What's the matter?" Laito inquired as they walked back to the tent. "You made it seem like I just handed you the cooties."

"Uhh, no I was just wondering why your wrist was so hot earlier and now it's cold as mine." Ayato admitted. "Even when I'm dying of heat, my body temperature is always the same, you know... You didn't catch a cold or anything, right?"

Laito could not help but snicker. "Oh, my innocent little brother! That only happens during love-making. Why do you think vampire sex is so awesome, huh? Oops. You wouldn't know, right? Trust me, you turn into a little fire beast and its fantastic."

"Okay, that's enough. I have a hunch that you're about to delve into too much information."

"You need not act so bashful. I'll give you free advice anytime."

"I think I could live happy without your advice." Ayato muttered darkly.

"What was that?"

"Nothing!"

The younger vampire pushed through the entrance. Sure enough, both of their sleeping mats were neatly laid out just _begging_ him to go to bed. He was almost impressed by the cleanliness of the small space. And he was _so_ ready to crash at this point. Maybe he'd dream about Yuuki again.

Ayato blushed lightly. He didn't want to dream about her after Laito had put certain thoughts into his head. Yeah, it was better to just forget everything that had just passed between the two brothers. And no fantasizing about his girl either.

The two nearly jumped out of their shoes when they heard a female voice call out from inside Laito's bag.

"._.. Ayato?_"

Speak of the devil.

* * *

A/N: Balancing dark subject matter with bad humor, as always.

I've been trying to imagine how to write this scene for months now. I guess it's my own fault for removing the male protagonist from the story in the first place. So I decided to step out of my comfort zone. Besides, this story needed a legitimate reason for the M-rating since the curse words sprinkled throughout didn't seem enough to warrant it. And having Ayato accidentally walk in on Laito being perverted sounded pretty much like Laito to me. And yes, that would be quite a traumatic experience in my opinion. God. I seriously hope nobody I know in real life EVER reads this.

On another note, I think it's natural for them to know that they care/worry for each other by now. I mean, these two have stuck together for months, giving them plenty of time to bond despite their differences. At this point, I feel like Ayato and Laito have the closest sibling relationship among all the boys. The rest? Don't worry. They're getting there.

(May come back to edit this chapter drastically for the next few days. Just posting this before I chicken out and erase everything.)


	62. Mirror, Mirror

"Did you-?" Laito ended the unfinished sentence with a confused inflection.

"Y-yeah. I think it came from over there." Ayato replied, pointing at the canvas bag. With the confirmation that neither of them were going crazy, the two lurched forward.

Laito shuffled through a pouch before procuring a cellphone. Unlike his younger brother who was forced to adopt a simple lifestyle (although sending Ayato to the monks would've been far more practical, their father liked to take drastic measures for the added drama), _he_ was free to use any modern gadget he desired. Besides, Laito could hardly function without social media. Or theladies that spent their lives there.

His brows wrinkled after tapping a few buttons. "That's odd."

"What is?"

"It was turned off and there's absolutely no connection way out here. I mean, these rural areas..."

The older vampire tossed the device onto his bed and began to take out his other possessions.

"... Are you sure we aren't simply imagining things? 'Cause of homesickness or some ish." Ayato asked after a piece of clothing was flung at his face. He frowned at the messy pile growing around his knees. And _just_ when the place was all tidied up for a rare moment.

"_Wait, Kanato, do you think they can hear us too?"_

"_That's not possible Yuu-chan."_

"No, no. We hear you loud and clear!" Laito replied quickly. "But where in the world are you?"

"_Oh my god, guys. The mirror!"_ Kanato's disembodied voice called from the depths of the bag.

Laito pulled out his hand-held mirror only to see his own handsome reflection staring back at him. He quirked an eyebrow. "Uh... Demon's Mirror?"

"_Exactly! Hurry and open up your end._"

The eldest triplet hesitated.

"Go ahead." Ayato urged when a nervous glance was shot his way.

With a deep breath, Laito let his forefinger and middle finger hover an inch above the surface. Rotated his hand in a clockwise manner, against the tide of the universe, unlocked the gate of the Demon's Mirror. It rippled into a deep blackness before hazy image of a bedroom came into view. Slowly, light poured through the surface and Kanato and Yuuki's likeness appeared in sharp clarity.

"Whoa."

"Holy shit."

Nobody really ever knew which side the comments came from.

For a total of three seconds, the four simply stared at each other – soaking in everything within their little windows – in a pocket of frozen time. Breathless. Hardly believing it.

They were almost afraid to test the fragility of the connection by accepting that they were _finally_ together again.

Two huge, sparkling grins broke out on the elder triplets' faces when the reality clicked.

Yes, this was real. No, they wouldn't let this moment go to waste.

"What the hell, Kanato!?" Laito yelped happily. "What's going on? Just look at you! You're hair's grown a bit, did you know that? Well of course you do. It's almost brushing your shoulders. Aww man. Oh! And Koinu-cchi – you are even more stunning since the last time I saw you. I didn't expect to be in your lovely company so soon. Where's Teddy?"

"Haha. Calm down, tiger." Kanato chuckled. "It's good to see you guys, too... Uhh, I'm slowly weaning off of Teddy's company. He's taking a nap in my room. Actually, everyone else is asleep right now and Father's off pretending to be Tougo Sakamaki today, so we took the opportunity to secretly contact you two."

"Who taught you how to use Demon's Mirror?"

"Honestly, I want to know where _you_ learned how to do this. Well, I'm guessing the same way I figured it out – other than the fact that you obviously had Father's approval. I mean, if there's anywhere to find scriptures on the dark arts, it would be our library, would it not?"

Laito shook his head. "Something must be different about what you did. We communicated before we even established a complete connection," he said, referring to the fact that they heard each other long before Laito released the seal on his mirror.

"Hmm. You're right, that _is_ weird." Kanato glanced at his slightly-bewildered companion. "I'm going to blame it on Yuu-chan's contribution. It's not _diluted_ demon blood like ours, you know. Must be more powerful with these things."

"You let _her_ do the summoning?" Ayato inquired, seemingly insulted that anyone would make Yuuki do such a thing.

"Nah, we did it together. Anyway, enough about that." Kanato said, impatiently combing the bangs out of his eyes with his fingertips. "It's been ages. Technicalities can wait until _after_ we catch up."

No further prompting was needed. Laito and Kanato immediately launched themselves into a rapid-fire exchange about everything and anything that happened after The Separation. Well, not _everything_. Guys tended to leave out all the juicy details and focused on the random ones instead.

Scorpions and Snakes? Not a problem.

Mosquitoes? They rupture internally after consuming vampire blood.

Sunlight? Got used to it.

Heat? Meh.

Food? They had their methods.

The duo's ease made it feel like a not single day had passed since.

Barely able to get a word edgewise, Yuuki resigned herself to take a backseat and watch the animated brothers reunite with quiet awe. She hadn't even realized how much Kanato had missed them until now. He'd always just accepted and adapted to any situation thrown at him. Without much complaint.

She wondered if Kanato had even known about this void himself. When the vampirette had first come to live in the Sakamaki household, Cordelia's three sons didn't seem to share a particularly amiable relationship. They merely tolerated each other at best.

_Maybe sandbox love never really dies after all... _Yuuki said to herself. The rivalry, the teasing, the fighting – those were all simply a manifestation of their unbreakable bond. If that was truly the case, she was happy to accommodate for awhile. Besides, she didn't think she'd know what to say. All the mental rehearsals she had run through failed her now.

Ayato was too distracted by his thoughts to fully engage in the conversation either. She had a pleased, small sort of smile gracing her face and he could barely keep his eyes off of her. Or at least, keep his eyes off the miniature version of the petite blonde and the child-like artist next to her.

How could such bite-sized people be this important to him? They were so... so _tiny_. As ridiculous as it may sound, even a serving of extra, extra small could not render them insignificant.

On the other hand, Yuuki's vanity mirror boasted a blown-up representation of the tent-dwellers. The idea that their egos matched their inflated images royally amused the two in the bedroom. Occasionally, Laito's outstretched hand would tire, making the mirror shake. This allowed them to snatch glimpses of the tent's interior. In other words, visual evidence of Ayato's fall from the King's grace and bounty.

When the older boys neared the end of their respective tales, Yuuki interrupted the discussion by giving Kanato's wrist a squeeze. She felt like _recent events_ were still too raw and fresh to share flippantly. Especially any news concerning her newly-appointed knight, Subaru.

True to his claim of possessing heightened perception, Kanato got the subtle hint and smoothly steered the conversation to a different direction.

"So, yeah, that's basically it." He laughed before nudging his partner. "I believe it's time to give these two lovebirds a bit of privacy so that they can have their turn. It's uncomfortable watching Ayato ogle at his crush without an ounce of shame. Seriously. That boy has no sense of modesty."

Said-lovebirds simultaneously exclaimed, "KANATO!" in embarrassment.

Their faces flushed when he began to cough violently. A word suspiciously sounding like _soulmates_ was detected between the false hacking.

Laito _tsk-tsk_ed in jest. "Honestly, Koinu, you should be proud of Ayato for being this patient. He's been sexually frustrated for months now and my presence is certainly not helping his sorry case-nmf!"

"What goes on between me and pancake has nothing to do with you." Ayato muttered darkly as he muffled Laito's mouth.

"You mean what _doesn't_ go on between you two," the purple-haired vampire mumbled.

"Eep," the vampirette squealed. Her logical side belatedly reminded her that this kind of crude humor should be expected when living with multiple men.

"Of course it does," the eldest triplet declared after throwing off the barrier with relative ease. "I've been expecting a mind-blowing three way ever since we met Koinu-cchi... Oh! Sorry, Kanato. I didn't mean to leave you out of the equation. I've got nothing against you joining us."

Ayato retreated as if his perverted brother was some kind of poisonous mushroom that smelled like skunk.

"You're disgusting, you know that?"

"Thanks for the offer, but I'll pass." Kanato said, ignoring the ostentatious display of distaste.

_Gross, guys. I'm right here. Can we please not have this conversation?... Like, ever._

"Also, I'm sure Yuu-chan doesn't approve of godless sodomites like you, my dear brother. So please do us all a favor and keep it in your pants."

_Bwahaha... And THIS is why I love Kanato. Take notes, boys._

"Okay, just pack up your shit and leave. I get that you may or may not be an up-and-coming home wrecker trying to steal my girl, but why the hell would you fantasize about _me_?" Ayato's face contorted with repulsion as he spat out the rhetorical question. He pointed at the door flap. "You're sick, Laito. I don't want you infecting my place any more than you already have."

"He's just kidding – you don't have to kick him out." Yuuki chided quietly, directly addressing the one she wanted to talk to most for the first time.

Laito chuckled. "Don't worry, I was planning on leaving soon anyway. Still, Koinu-cchi has a point. There's no need for such haste, Ayato."

The youngest triplet shivered. "I'm so traumatized right now."

_Me, too. I don't even want to know what goes on in that mind. But we can handle this with more tact, can't we?_

"Oh, please, Ayato. Stop overreacting. It's not like he seriously lusts after you." Kanato pointed out. "And if he does, it's because he's a hypersexual being who can't help himself."

"Oi!" Laito mock-protested. "I find that offensive. You make it sound as if I don't truly appreciate how freaking cute he can be. I would happily eat up _any_ of my little brothers."

Kanato didn't even blink when he deadpanned, "That doesn't surprise me. Incest is nothing new with you, after all."

Yuuki gasped audibly before blurting, "WHAT DOES THAT MEAN?!"

"... You probably don't want to know, pancake." Ayato sighed.

_YES. AND?_

Kanato gave her shoulder a squeeze. "Hey, you're assuming things. Don't assume things. Cause you're gonna start hyperventilating if you keep doing that."

"What am I _not_ supposed to assume?" Yuuki replied with wide eyes.

"That Ayato and I have anything to do with Laito's conquests. Neither does Shu, or Reiji, or Subaru. Nor Father for that matter."

"Then why'd you say _incest_?"

The three vampire boys shifted in their spots awkwardly. Whatever "it" was, it was definitely an open secret they didn't necessarily want her to know.

"Because," Laito himself eventually supplied, "I was sexually involved with my mother for the bulk of my... formative years."

"_Abused_, you mean." Ayato growled. "She's the reason why you're so messed up in the head."

Laito shrugged. "Meh. It was consensual, so I'm not complaining. And sadomasochism is an art form. Just because you suck at it doesn't make it messed up."

"Minors can't legally give their consent." Kanato reproached. "You know that, Laito. You just refuse to accept it."

The older brother stiffened. "Because I'm the only one in this family who refuses to hate his parents?"

_Eh? Was that ever the case?_

"Pfft, the only one? Kanato's a total kiss up, too." Ayato argued.

"_Was_ a total kiss up." Laito countered. "He's clearly over his attachment to Mother by now. And if they're doing _this_ behind Father's back, he's clearly rebelling against him a bit. I wouldn't assume that Kanato adores them anymore than you do at this point."

"You're right to some extent but this isn't even about me. I'm saying Mother did something incredibly wrong and you shouldn't let her walk all over you like that. You're still stuck under her influence. I'm sure Ayato agrees with me."

_Woah, woah, woah, why are we all picking a fight here?_

Yuuki stared at the boys in Christian horror. For the first time in their entire acquaintance, she noticed that Laito was agitated. The laid-back, flirty and fun vampire was _agitated_.

"Is that a crime, really – after everything we've been through? What's wrong with accepting the little bit of love we were given? I take what I can get, Kanato. You can't criticize me for that."

"Wait a second." Yuuki piped up after Laito's outburst. "You told me that you hated your father before, remember? The night I tried to call my dad from the phone booth."

Ayato rolled his eyes. "That's because he used to see our dear uncle and our old man as his personal rivals. With _that_ _woman_ gone for good-"

"- There's really no point in hating them any longer, now is there?" Laito finished. "I'm over it, okay? They're burning in hell and I'm focused on taking care of my family... I really don't need my little brothers to constantly nag me about my behavior. Nor what I decide to do with my own body. I _am_ entitled to a little fun once in awhile."

"You're a _day_ older than me." Kanato replied. "That hardly makes you immune to our criticism at times."

"Hey, let's not word it in such an abrasive manner." Yuuki suggested to the younger two before turning her attention back on unexpected problem child. "Sorry. We shouldn't gang up on you. It seems like you've been looking out for your brothers in your own way. But you don't have to hog all the responsibility. We care for you, too."

Laito lowered the hand-held mirror in a bout of exhaustion. "I know... It's just..."

"... Yeah?"

"I've been working really hard recently, so I got kind of pissed off when everybody acts like my love life is the only thing that defines me."

_Laito say wha-?_

"This thing about Mother is all in the past now. I've got other bullshit to be worried about."

"... Do you have something to say, Ayato?" Yuuki noted quietly, catching him shoot Laito a guilty look.

The vampire pulled at a fistful of his rusty hair. "Dude, I should've realized it sooner," he apologized. "I guess I've just been caught up with my own crap to notice your problems. My bad."

"It's fine." Laito replied with another shrug. "I didn't let you."

_True. You've always advertised yourself as a player. But you're also the only Sakamaki whose always gone out of your way to be friendly to everybody else._

"That's no excuse for not paying attention." Ayato looked up sharply at the vampirette and the middle triplet. "Can you believe that this guy's fluent in _four_ languages already? It only took him a few weeks to get there but I still haven't grasped any of it. He's a genius. And he's actually graduating early. Maybe you two knew that he was going back home but I didn't until today."

"Really?! Congratulations!" Yuuki cried out enthusiastically before a very strange thought struck her that made her stomach flutter.

_Since when did Ayato praise other people's accomplishments?_

"No, we hadn't heard the news. You're coming home, eh? So I guess we'll get a chance to discuss properly your sudden bisexuality."

Laito blinked with confusion. "Uhh, for the record, I've never experimented with dudes nor do I ever plan to. There are more than enough beautiful women out there for me."

"Looks like you hadn't realized that your siblings were all male." Kanato joked with a happy twinkle in his eye. He was going to milk their thoughtless banter dry. "Orientation aside... Good job, Laito. It's nice to know that you've been productive. However, I question what Ayato's been doing all this time. Training sheep to march like an army, _really_?"

"Hey! It's pretty cool if you ask me."

"He really does love those sheep. I'm concerned that it may even develop into bestiality."

"Shut up, Laito."

"Heh. Shutting up, Ayato."

Kanato smiled before clearing his throat. "It does no good if Laito's doing all the brain work, though. What were the conditions for your return again? Oh yeah, I'm pretty sure Father was saying that he needed to see _visible results_ before you could come home."

"I thought his exile would only last for two years." Yuuki voiced. The pit in her stomach was steadily growing.

Ayato laughed coldly. "Yeah, like it would be that easy, pancake. I murdered three women technically unrelated to me. Supernatural law and Father's influence can only protect me so much."

"Soo, you're saying-"

"I'll need to come back with my own power. Those were my terms."

The vampirette chewed on her bottom lip, silently pondering his words. The triplets tried to read her mixed expression with no avail.

"Laito. Kanato." Yuuki finally said, eyes never breaking contact with the red-haired vampire. "Do you two mind giving us a moment? It seems that me and Ayato still have a lot of things to talk about..."

"Of course, Koinu-cchi." The eldest of the four handed the mirror to Ayato and got up. "Um. I'll be in the pasture if you need anything."

Kanato waited until Laito exited the tent before standing up. He pulled Yuuki's blond locks aside to plant a quick kiss on her cheek.

"Good luck," he whispered into her ear before disappearing.

* * *

A/N: I've been trying to upload this for weeks but I kept getting a Type 2 Error. I am pleased to finally say that, Gabrielle, your prayers have been answered with TWO CONSECUTIVE CHAPTERS. It's almost funny how much your review has motivated me.

I apologize for being absent from this story for so long. My life is crazier than the cookie monster. A new career path, a new city, and new troubles have eaten up all of my free time. But thankfully, I feel truly blessed through all of these experiences. I refused to publish this particular chapter until I was satisfied with the next one, which took me far longer to write than I thought it would. Also, the next three weeks will probably be even more hectic so I might just disappear for another month. Please remain patient with me, dear readers.

Love,

Aeoliana.


	63. The Beginning or the End?

Ayato tapped his own cheek.

"What was that all about?"

"Eh? Oh nothing."

He let his hand drop. "Didn't seem like nothing to me, pancake."

"It was _platonic_." Yuuki replied with a huff. "God, Ayato. I seriously don't understand you."

The vampire quirked his brow. "Excuse me?"

"One moment, you don't seem to care about me, and the next, you're baring your fangs at anyone who gets close to me."

"When have I _ever_ given you the impression that I don't care about you?"

"Well, you let Laito openly admit that his fantasies involve me without doing anything about it. Granted, you were a little preoccupied." The vampirette shrugged to herself. "Maybe it just didn't occur to you to say anything."

Ayato shook his head. "I didn't see Laito as a threat. Towards you."

"And you see _Kanato_ as one?" Yuuki scoffed. "Honestly, Ayato, nobody's ever going to touch me as long as I'm yours. Men are strangely loyal to other men, after all."

He sent her a look loaded with skepticism. "Are they?"

"Yes. They may flirt with what they don't have, but they know their boundaries." She tossed her hair over her shoulder with a sigh. "They'll only cross the line if they truly believe they can get away with it."

"Oh? What would compel someone to believe something so idiotic?"

"Encouragement, for example. If the girl is stressed in her current relationship or something. I've heard of plenty of cases like that at my church. All sorts of people confide in all sorts of secrets, you know... I'd say that men are easily tempted, if it wasn't such a sweeping generalization."

"Since when were you the expert on the male psyche?" Ayato replied with an amused smirk.

"Is it any surprise? I was raised by a single father and I didn't have many female figures to speak of. Plus, I was thrown to a pack of wolves as soon as I grew up. If I didn't know how to tame you boys – if I didn't learn how guys think – I wouldn't have survived this long."

Tasting the air in disgust like a feline, he frowned at her. "I despise being compared to wolves."

"How come? They're beautiful creatures. Fierce yet gentle. They are incredibly intelligent and remain loyal to one mate – unlike lions. I think I'd like to see one once in my life, but alas, I never set foot outside of this country." She cocked her head to the side and pondered his strange aversion. "Although, you may just be a cat person. That would totally make sense. _You_ with your _napping_, and your _rebelliousness_, and your constant need for attention and snuggle-time when you're not feeling grumpy."

"No – I mean, _yes_, that's true, I do like cats better – but I despise them as a _vampire_."

"Ohhh. I see now." Yuuki exclaimed in sudden understanding.

"You do?"

"Yeah. I read about the war... It's a shame that the werewolves were extinguished."

"They would have exterminated _us_ if they had won."

"No, that's simply how vampires justified the massive genocide. I think it's a great stain on our history."

"Wait... You identify with us?"

"Of course. I'm a vampire now, am I not?"

"So you say..."

"What?"

"There's a difference between _being_ a vampire and _thinking_ like one."

"I'm not siding against the vampires by voicing my dissenting opinion on the matter. I disagree with what we did but that shouldn't brand me as a traitor to my people..." She quirked her lips in sardonic mirth. "Problem?"

"Not at all, pancake. Besides, it's good that you're educated about these things. I approve."

"Did I just hear _you_ calling education a good thing?" Yuuki spluttered in mock disbelief. "Who are you and what have you done to my Ayato?"

He chuckled charmingly, pleased at her affectionate ownership of his entire being. "Surprised that I'm not quite as immature as he used to be?"

"How is this even possible?"

"Seems like I picked up a few things from the outside world."

Her expression brightened instantly.

"So it was worth it?" Yuuki chirped.

"Absolutely not."

"Oh."

"I will admit that this boring-ass place is not as bad as I expected it to be. Mainly because Ahmed's a pretty cool dude."

"You respect your teacher?"

"Ehh, if my old man had chosen a stupider man to watch me, I'd have killed him by now."

"_Ayato.._."

He shifted warily under her stern gaze. "What?"

"Don't act like killing people is a trivial matter. That's the reason you were banished in the first place."

"Yeah, I kinda got the memo."

"And with that amount of sass, it hardly feels like you're repenting at all."

Ayato rolled his eyes but his tone was not unkind. "What were you expecting?"

Yuuki exhaled heavily, feeling woefully ashamed.

"I don't know, honestly. I hoped to find you humbled by your circumstances, I guess. To find you grateful for not losing you life – or your claim to the throne even. I didn't know what to expect when I saw you again. What if you'd changed? What if you _hadn't_? I was so terrified of the answer that Kanato even asked if we shouldn't go on with this. I didn't let him back out for my sake, though. He needed to see the both of you more than I did."

Ayato closed his eyes as he silently swallowed this revelation.

"... I don't regret _any_ of my actions, pancake."

"Ayato! You don't just massacre people because they happen to get on your bad side!"

"I would go further than that for your sake."

"Is that supposed to make me happy?"

He cracked open one lid. "Hmm... I thought you'd find that statement romantic. You're into that sappy crap, aren't you?"

"Pfft, as if. You're like a wild beast, you know that? You have all sorts of violent tendencies towards anyone who gets too close to your mate."

"Very true." Ayato purred.

"Stop looking so pleased with yourself. Even if your intentions might be sweet, your tactics are utterly wrong."

His face darkened. "If you found your girl looking like she'd been chewed up by a pack of rabid dogs, you'd hunt the bitches down too."

"No, I wouldn't."

"Oh, really?" His voice was almost poisonous. "What would you have done differently?"

"I wouldn't have gone _back_ to find trouble. You came to my rescue before anything worse happened that night. That was more than enough. We could've focused on forgiving and forgetting."

"And what if it happened again? I made sure that it didn't."

"And I made sure that I was strong enough to deal with it on my own_ if it did_. I'm not going to willingly play the victim role, Ayato. I'm not that weak. I was weak once and I got stronger because of that. We're not perfect beings but we certainly can strive for perfection and see where our efforts take us."

"That's very poetic and all, however, you forget that you're an accident magnet. Trouble finds you every time I look away," he commented dispassionately. "Don't deny it. I just don't want you to be the one who gets hurt."

Yuuki bristled. "I can take care of myself."

"Of course you can. But let me shoulder some of the burden. What are you trying to prove anyway?"

"It's no burden, Ayato. I don't need validation from anyone but myself. I can't rely on you forever and pretend that my association with you makes me a better person in any way."

"Sure it does," he countered smugly. "My overwhelming brilliance sheds upon you."

The petite blonde laughed musically. "Oh my god, you are so arrogant."

"Took you awhile to figure that one out." Ayato replied, amused. "I give off that impression, don't I?"

She smiled at his self-deprecation.

"Speaking of impressions – when we first exchanged words, I thought you were the most infuriating guy I'd ever met."

"Really? I thought you were the most charming little thing I'd ever set my eyes on."

She blushed. "And that's good enough a reason to flirt with a stranger shamelessly?"

"Obviously. Why else would I kiss you?"

Yuuki shook her head in theatrical disbelief. "That was really rude of you, by the way. What if I was saving my kiss virginity for my wedding day, huh? I would hate you forever."

_Not that I ever had any real plans to get married, so hating you is totally hypothetical._

"It's okay. You love me."

"My feelings don't justify your actions either way."

He pretended to choke back a sob. "So harsh. After all I've done for you."

"Yeah. You went to such lengths for my sake that you even got kicked out of your home." Yuuki noted sadly. "I'm really sorry, Ayato. I had no right to interfere in your life like that."

"Look, I wasn't actually trying to guilt-trip you, pancake. It's not-"

"No, it _is_. It's my fault and that apology is completely sincere... And also, thank you. From the bottom of my heart."

He tilted his head back before dropping forward. "Huh. I thought you'd still be angry at me."

"I'm not angry. I'm _furious_... albeit for a different reason."

"Mm. What reason?"

The petite blonde didn't respond immediately. Instead, she reached out and touched the vanity mirror, letting her finger's slide down his image. The glass was cool to the touch. But never electric.

She glanced at her hand before looking back up into his haunting green eyes. Her voice came out in a whisper.

"You lied to me."

Ayato sighed deeply. Flipped his beautiful hair out of his tired face.

"Sorry. I know I promised to never let you out of my sight..."

She didn't feel the need to correct him.

To let him know that the promise to protect her forever didn't mean all that much to her. That he had broken a far more important one.

"I have so much to tell you that I don't know where to start." Yuuki admitted quietly, shifting her gaze away from his momentarily.

"Start at the beginning."

"Yes, our beginning." She smiled wryly. "Unfortunately, you seem to remember the first time we met in perfect detail."

"Could I forget?"

"No, I probably wouldn't let you." Yuuki brushed aside an unruly strand of her fair hair. "I -uh- don't know how to articulate my feelings to be perfectly honest with you. It's funny because we talked so easily despite my doubts and fears. And we are even arguing as if everything is normal, natural, and how it should be. I'm glad about that, but we keep dodging the important things we need to discuss-"

"True," he interrupted because she was in danger of rambling again. "Nothing we've said warrants kicking out my twins from the chat room."

The vampirette wavered. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Shoot."

"What, um, what were the terms you and your father agreed on? I never was enlightened on the issue since it's a confidential matter and all."

Ayato rested his elbow on his bent knee. The movement made the mirror shake alarmingly.

"Hmm... It's a bit complicated."

"I barely remember a time when things were uncomplicated." She bit her bottom lip. "And you've tried keeping things like this from me before and you know how much I hate being left in the dark... Please? I need to know."

"Basically," he sighed, caving into her puppy eyes. "I'm not allowed to come home before the two years are over. That should be enough time needed to clean the murder case up completely – both in the supernatural and human world – and, according to my father, for me to grow the hell up. His parlor tricks aren't permanent. If I stay, I risk letting someone recognize my presence and connect the dots. Meanwhile, I'm banned from contacting anyone but I'm technically breaking that rule right now." The vampire chuckled dryly. "Oh, and he's not going to offer me any other aid than what he's already provided. That means that when I want to come back, I have to work for it myself. No paid-for ticket and welcoming party waiting for me. And if I fail to show any results, I'll be shipped right out again. My old man's always a little over the top. I had no idea where I was being sent to, really. Laito did. He knows everything. I expected something way worse than what Shu had to go through in the North Pole. This place is far more calm and mild in comparison. Like, time moves at a slower pace here. If I sat down and put my mind to it, I could probably write an entire book between sunrise to sunset."

"So you're faring well?"

"Not at all, pancake. It's torture out here. My goddamned father really knows what makes me tick. I have no idea how that sneaky, white snake does it."

Some keen feeling in her stirred to protect the integrity of the Vampire King. _Your mother was the Snake, might I remind you._

"Still, you can endure it, can't you?"

"Kuh. I'd endure far more. You don't even know..." Ayato trailed off.

"What don't I know?"

His green eyes pierced through hers. "Sorry, pancake. That's the part I'm not allowed to tell."

"When have you ever followed the rules? Come on. Don't be so secretive."

He shook his head somberly in firm denial. "I'll follow them if it means keeping you safe."

"Ugh, whatever." Yuuki slumped, letting her arms cup her chin as her elbows pushed against the edge of the vanity. Reiji would hardly be proud. She rolled her head to the side to watch the magic mirror. "How about I tell you one instead?"

"Tell me...?"

The vampirette smiled slyly. "A secret."

"Well, do I want to hear it?"

The petite blonde narrowed her pink lemonade eyes. "_Do_ _you_?"

"How can I judge that when I hardly know what it's about?"

"I probably shouldn't say. Nearly half the world population is in on it, but I'm not sure if you'd be able to wrap your head around the idea. Actually, forget I ever mentioned it."

Ayato grew both amused and annoyed at her shameless baiting. "Are you calling me stupid, pancake?"

"Maybe I am," she chirped triumphantly.

"Just get on with it already."

"Naw, I change my mind. You wouldn't understand it even if I spell it out for you."

"Understand _what_?"

"Understand how females fight."

"_Oh_? Try me." Ayato replied tauntingly. "How _do_ they fight?"

"Relational Aggression."

"English, please? Or normal Japanese, if you don't mind."

"Come now, Ayato. We can at least handle this much."

"Sorry, babe, I don't really speak French. If you let Laito stay, he could've translated."

"Alright, alright. I see that I really must explain it in simpler terms. Relational aggression is basically just the nastiest, most traumatizing weapon in any woman's arsenal. The result is total emotional sabotage."

"How so?"

"Well, let's assume that hypothetically, Lilith and her posse were unharmed after that incident." Yuuki absently poked the side of her mouth with her finger. "Lilith would have won the battle, but I ultimately won the war. Her small victory would have paled in comparison... If she were alive, she'd be reminded of the happiness that she can never have every single day. On the other hand, I'd live blissfully under the protection of my loved ones. Her one card would be utterly useless against me – that is, trying to intimidate me by continually referencing that one night where she succeeded in overwhelming me. Her desperate threats would mean nothing when I have my friends to support me. Her own jealousy would suck the life out of her. She'd die slowly and painfully, killed by her own poison. And all the while, I would covertly rub some salt in her wounds now and then to satisfy my petty revenge."

He shivered at the thought. "That's so... freaking twisted."

"Twisted, it may be, but certainly not as messed up as your solution."

"Hah?!" Ayato yelped in disbelief. "Are you kidding me?"

"I'm perfectly serious."

"Yeah right," the boy laughed. "I'm pretty certain you'd just passively take whatever crap the world decided to throw at you and try to act strong."

"And what makes you so darn sure that I would do something dumb like that?"

"Because you're a goody-two-shoes. I've seen you bottle it all inside before. You'd always choose self-destruction over hurting a fly."

"I beg to differ! I'd fight with tooth and nail if I have to, just like anybody else. The difference between the two of us is that I use my brain as well. Admit it – my alternative is as effective and just as satisfying as your _unspeakable_ methods with only a fraction of the negativity on my part." She stopped chewing on her cuticle. "Women fight psychological wars, Ayato. Trust me, they hurt a lot more than any physical wound you could ever inflict."

"..."

"And that's our secret."

"_If_ that was indeed the case, why would those brats dare to touch a strand of your hair? Isn't it more likely to fight on their own turf... Psychological warfare or whatever."

"They probably thought that they could get away with it as supernatural beings. It's fairly obvious that anyone living with the Sakamaki family as their prey, namely myself, would be aware of the other world. And even if it seemed like I was on slightly better terms with your lot, there's a good chance that you wouldn't really give a damn about my well being. So it didn't matter if I knew their identities and told on them. Lilith's confidence most likely stemmed from my utter insignificance in her arena. That's why they got physical."

"It's almost insane how convincing your crazy conspiracy theories are starting to sound." He switched the hand that was holding up the mirror before asking, "Were you always this manipulative? Not to be rude or anything."

"Haha. _You tell me_. What makes a vampire prince fall for a mere human?" Yuuki's eyes sparkled with humor. "I can see why Lilith believed I somehow seduced you with my evil, self-serving ways since the notion of such a love story is pretty ridiculous."

"Don't write us off like that," he stated, displeased. "We're not ridiculous."

"Aren't we? Sheltered and naïve girl meets dangerous and misguided vampire. Our relationship was like a haphazard elephant parade from its conception."

"And are you unhappy with that?"

"No, no. You've made me very happy." Yuuki said wistfully. "But I've had a lot of time to think about it on my own... I'm not sure if our happiness is the same thing as contentment."

He scowled. "What do you mean, pancake?"

She sat up straighter. "For example, I wouldn't feel so uneasy if I knew I had the support of my family. The Sakamaki boys have all been really considerate toward me, but I do realize that my influence is superficial. My voice is heard only because you all are kind enough give weight to my opinion."

"You _are_ a part of the family." Ayato corrected.

"Not officially." Yuuki argued. "I don't know how long this fragile privilege will last. And really, all a girl ever needs is support."

"Then marry me. As soon as I return."

_Not again, Ayato. I can't accept that proposal until you properly ASK for my hand. Not demand that I give it up._

The vampirette shook her head.

"... Have you even approached my father?" Yuuki asked mildly. "Do you value the relationship I share with him? Has it ever crossed your mind that I had a life before you? Did you ever take the steps to learn about _me_? That I held onto my own personal baggage before I took on yours."

She pursed her lips when he remained mute.

"I can't make any promises until you consider these things, Ayato. Don't trap yourself into signing a contract you're not mature enough to take responsibility for..."

The petite blonde pulled her hair back and began twisting it up into a bun. It gave him time to absorb her advice.

"Are you rejecting me?" Ayato inquired so quietly that she glanced at him in alarm.

"No!" Yuuki exclaimed. "Oh gosh, you think I would wait for you this long just to toss you aside over a phone call? Err, Demon's Mirror, whatever."

"That's what it sounds like you're saying."

She exhaled shakily. "I will say that our current status isn't very good for me. We were rushing far too much when we were together, but now I'm stuck in a limbo. It's almost as if I'm waiting for something to change."

"... I wish that I'd gotten you pregnant..." Ayato muttered mostly to himself, making her gasp.

"_Excuse me_?"

"Pregnant, pancake. You wouldn't have these doubts if you were carrying my baby. You'd know for certain that I'd come back to you so that we could all be together. That we'd be a family."

"I don't need a child to remain loyal to you, Ayato." Yuuki responded cheerlessly. "What good would a baby do? I'd have to take care of it on my own for at least two years and you'd be a stranger to it by the time you came back. And what if your worst fears actually came true and you had died?"

"You'd have someone to remember me by."

"Are you trying to bless me with a gift or curse me with a product of teennage stupidity? Don't let our child be the latter."

She noticed that the white of his eyes had turned red, as if he was on the verge of crying.

"And if some idiot gets the wrong idea? Thinks you're available and tricks you?"

"I'm no cheating slut," the vampirette sneered. "Besides, he _wasn't_ an idiot and I rejected him anyway."

He narrowed his eyes. "_Who's_ not an idiot?"

"A really caring person whose feelings I could not return."

"Who?"

"I'm telling you – there's no need to feel threatened. The guy's already suffering rejection as it is."

"Yuuki-"

"Pardon me, Ayato, but I did this so that I could _talk_ to you. Not be interrogated. I wish to protect his confidentiality so please honor that by trusting my decision to do so."

The vampire huffed angrily. This was going nowhere.

"Are you doubting me?" Yuuki chided in her best_ You BETTER Not Be Sassing Me, Young Man_ voice.

Ayato paused before erupting into laughter. Her feisty, fiery attitude never ceased to melt him.

"Alright, you win. I won't pry," he conceded, wiping away a tear.

"Good. If you kept up the jealous boyfriend act, I really _would_ have dropped you like a hot potato." Yuuki said, still seething.

"I believe you," the red-head replied, nodding his chin sagely. "So what happened to the asshole? Did he back off?"

"He'll survive, thank you for asking. It's better to love a little than never at all."

"He fell for the wrong girl."

"Indeed." Yuuki agreed. "He deserves better than me. I wish him luck."

Ayato made a strained sound that conveyed his dissension. "There's no girl in the world like you, pancake. I hardly doubt he'll find someone better."

"Thanks for the compliment, dearest, but there's certainly someone more suitable for him. Fear not – if his attraction for me persists, I will friend-zone him so hard that he'll be forced to resign himself to defeat."

"Poor, unfortunate soul. My prayers go out to that brother."

Yuuki nearly choked on her saliva.

When he gave her a funny look, she said that it was weird hearing him pray for anything. It was the first excuse that came to her mind because she'd been learning about the various Sakamaki's perspectives on God recently. The assumption that Ayato grew up without faith in his heart seemed like a perfectly natural conclusion.

Ayato rolled his eyes. "You and your spirituality. I swear – one day, you're going to turn me into a hippie singing in front of a temple or something."

The vampirette giggled. "I can't even picture that. You have one colorful imagination, Ayato." She rolled her shoulders to loosen them. "Besides, I don't think you'd change for me. Not that drastically."

"You really have no faith in my potential, do you?"

"Can you prove me wrong, though? _I'm_ definitely changing, Ayato. Next time we meet, you might not even recognize me... Will you still love me then?"

"Yes."

"Even if I got _fat_?"

He cringed for a second before saying, "Even if you managed to become some bloated whale while I was away, your soul would remain the same."

_Ahahahaha. I'll let that one slide since I commend you on your effort._

"And you? Will you be any different than you are now?"

Ayato shrugged. "Probably. I don't think either of us will remain static."

The both looked away from their respective mirrors in a mutually companionable silence. A heaviness gradually settled upon them.

"Hey, I know I said that I wasn't going to do this, but may I suggest a challenge?" Yuuki murmured.

"What kind of challenge?"

"... How about we set each other free, right here, right now? Allow ourselves to experience the world as individuals for once. Then, when we reunite, let's see if our hearts are still in sync."

Ayato shook with surprise and horror. "You can't seriously be dumping me."

"I'm not dumping you – I'm putting our relationship on hold. If you don't want to take up the dare, I'll respect that."

"Hah. You have had outrageous ideas before but this one takes the fucking cake."

The vampirette faced the ceiling, and her bun came undone. Hair cascaded down to her shoulders with sweet golden emphasis.

"I wonder," the girl mused aloud. "What are we capable of when we aren't tied down to somebody else? When we're at liberty to consider other possibilities."

_Will I be able to cherish you with this much love in me? Can I accept your affection without being suffocated by it?_

"No, no, no. Which sewage pipe burst? Call maintenance 'cuz I'm not listening to this shit. And why are we even considering other possibilities? What the hell happened?"

_We happened._

Yuuki decided to hold her tongue and offered an equally heart-wrenching answer: "You left my side."

"We can't do anything about our current situation, pancake. Trust me when I say I would if I could."

"I know, I'm not holding you responsible for that. But you promised-"

Hot tears streamed down her face as she swiftly cut herself off.

"Oh, Ayato. I want to believe every one of your beautiful lies but I've learned to doubt when you aren't holding me," she admitted. Each word uttered softly. Deliberately. "And I'm so glad I know now. My pathetic heart is too trusting for its own good and I've finally learned how to doubt..."

"I would never, ever jeopardize your trust. You're worth so much more than some stupid words."

"You don't get it. _You_. You are my beautiful lie." Yuuki sobbed. His own waterworks began to leak at her choked confession.

"Why do you say such selfish things, pancake?" Ayato asked, trying to blink away the liquid essence that undermined his masculinity. "Oh, lord."

"It's anything but s-selfish. Giving y-you up is the most selfless thing I could do for you."

She cried harder when she heard him trying to mask a sniffle.

"Ayato, Ayato, Ayato..." Yuuki repeated to herself, branding her ears with his name. "What if this was all _a big mistake_? What if I've ruined your life? Your precious, beautiful life? I can't be good for you. I'm the reason for all your hardships. Why am I such a fucking idiot?"

"Hush, pancake." Ayato ordered miserably. He dried his eyes, regretting that he could not wipe hers instead. "You were the best thing that ever happened to me. I messed up _once_. Don't give up on our eternity because of one stupid mistake."

"Can you stand this crybaby for that long? Every day you're gone seems like an eternity and I can't even handle it anymore."

"Most certainly. I have my problems, and you have yours. It would be my greatest honor if you shared them with me."

Slightly reassured by his bitterly sweet declaration, Yuuki slowly regained her composure. She blew her red nose into a handkerchief.

She laughed humorlessly at their weepy faces. "So what do we do now?"

"Let's give it a go, pancake." Ayato responded with conviction, although it lacked his trademark smile. "Let's see what we're capable of when we're not holding each other back."

"Yes. Thank you, Ayato." Yuuki murmured. She put her hand up, poised to end the call. "I guess this is goodbye for now."

"... _Wait_."

She halted in her counter-clockwise rotation.

"Let me look at you." Ayato requested. "I want to burn you into my memory."

The vampirette smiled disbelievingly. "You do realize that you were staring at me for a few hours straight, right?"

"Well, you're so short that I just saw up to your shoulders. Go stand by your bed so I can look at you properly."

Yuuki obeyed and got off her seat. She extended her arms to her side and asked, "Happy now?"

He grunted so she twirled around for him.

"Wait, do that again. Slowly this time."

The petite blonde blew her bangs out of her eyes in exasperation, but did as he commanded.

"Holy crap."

"What?" Yuuki demanded. "Also, crap is _not_ holy."

"Are those _boobs_?"

She looked down at her own chest before crossing her arms over them.

"Yeah... what about them?" Yuuki asked hesitantly. She shifted her weight onto one leg awkwardly.

A grin broke out on his face.

"Looks like you _have_ changed." Ayato commented gleefully. "Well, that's all, I guess."

_Good riddance._

The vampirette nodded before walking back toward the vanity.

"Goodbye, Ayato, and good luck."

"Bye, panca-" He caught himself. "Oh, wait. That pet name doesn't apply anymore, does it?"

She bit her lip to keep her traitorous smile in check. Ayato's gaze softened as he brought his own fingers up to the hand-held mirror. His final words filled her heart with hope and despair.

"... Don't forget me, love."

_Hah. As if you'd ever let me._

* * *

A/N: These two just kill me. Like, Ayato, when did you become so sappy? And when has Yuuki become the cold-hearted one? Truthfully, I respect her decision to cut it off. It only hurts so much because she was in so deep before realizing that she had to abandon ship _before the ship freaking drowned_. (YES, I WENT THERE.)

I apologize for all the extraneous conversation going on between them before they get to the meat of their issues. I didn't think they could jump right into the water after being cut off from each other for such a long time. So I had them ease into it with one stupid tangent after another. (And yes, I know you probably hate me now.)

Also, wolves have gone extinct in Japan for about a century now. I thought it would be interesting if that had anything to do with the famous rivalry between vampires and werewolves so I just wrote that little bit in. In my DiaLover universe, any wolves still alive are simply animals without any ties left to the supernatural world. Go figure.


	64. A Drop of Purity and a Dash of Sin

Yuuki felt quite at peace as she watched the Vampire King tinker with a few vials from Reiji's laboratory with the precision of a true scientist. With a life as long as his, it was no surprise he was more-than-adept in countless professions.

"Come here, child." Karlheinz bid solemnly as he looked up from the chemicals. The vampirette approached the table, her soft traditional Chinese slippers padding silently against the hard floor. "I'd like to show you something if are willing to trust me just for a moment."

She offered a little nod and he cleared the area in front of him to make space for a small flower pot. Inside, a tiny green sprout sat under her curious gaze – looking cute and out-of-place at the same time.

"What is it?" Yuuki inquired respectfully.

"This," he explained, "is a carnivorous plant from the demon world."

"Well, I certainly wouldn't have guessed."

With closed-lipped smile gracing his face, Karlheinz procured a small knife. "Remember our discussion on the concept of sin and virtue?"

"Of course. All thirty-six hours of it."

"Good. It seems like you enjoyed yourself. In any case, I believe I mentioned something from the Islamic tradition... about how every sin allegedly blackens the heart."

"Yes, I recall." Yuuki replied, eyeing the knife warily as the King poked his finger with it. A perfect drop of blood swelled onto the severed skin.

Comparative studies of governments and religion had probably been the most challenging part of her education. It was difficult to accept completely different world-views as valid perspectives. She'd always lived in a sort of bubble, guided by one particular doctrine. However, Karlheinz's fluency in other beliefs made her begin to understand how interesting the world could be. A world she had yet to explore.

"I too believe that one's deeds affect us physically although they should logically affect us in spirit alone. And I have lived over two millennium to make my mistakes, my dear. Mistakes that have cost me dearly."

"You... You would freely acknowledge it?"

"I'm obliged to. I've committed more sins that most can imagine and it has literally poisoned my body." Karlheinz stated as he let the tiny liquid-red globe fall onto the fragile leaves of the sprout.

Upon contact, the blood bit into the plant with a hiss like a strong acid would eat away at flesh. Not a second passed before his cut closed up completely. She wondered if her Healing ability was really all that great when minor injuries never could endure against basic vampire regeneration.

Karlheinz handed her the blade. "Now you try."

The vampirette looked at him skeptically before cutting into her own fingertip. She copied his actions. When her blood hit the damaged sprout in a different location, the burnt out areas began to heal immediately. New plant cells patched together the leaves as if it had never been tampered with in the first place.

"Touch it," he instructed. "You'll probably find that it is no longer carnivorous."

"_What __was that_?" Yuuki asked breathlessly, without acting upon his crazy suggestion. "I-I thought I could only heal humans and vampires."

"That?" Karlheinz repeated, picking up a vial that he had set aside earlier. He dropped a strange-looking ivory chip into it. "That was a drop of purity, my dear."

_Purity..._? Yuuki thought to herself as the opaque, purple chemical mess inside the vial reacted to the added ingredient. The cloudy color faded away to leave behind a solution that resembled spring water.

"I'm currently testing this potion, which supposedly cured you during the awakening." Karlheinz explained, misinterpreting her confused and troubled expression. "The nail-clipping is a physical piece of the spirit being expelled from the possessed body."

The vampirette snapped back to reality and tried to make it look like she'd been paying attention all along.

"Oh. Why are you testing it?"

Sucking the clear liquid into a syringe, he moved to the other side of the table and opened the lid of a glass cage. In it, two mice with demonic eyes shook erratically. He reached in and beckoned one to scurry into his palm.

"This will be my final attempt to see if Reiji actually succeeded... If my son indeed contributed to your survival during the transformation process."

"I'm alive and breathing. Is that not proof enough?"

"I'd think not," he replied casually. At least, as casually as a royal could. "Especially since this sham potion is wholly ineffective for the purpose exorcism."

She inhaled sharply. "_Sorry_?"

"I believe you reclaimed your body from my late wife by yourself that night without any external assistance."

The petite blonde's voice dropped to a low rumble. "I don't think I wanted to hear that."

"Why ever not? I find the strength of your own will quite admirable."

"The strength of _my_ will?" Yuuki coughed dismissively, finding it impossible to accept the praise. "What about Reiji? I want to believe in _hi__s_ strength."

"You are mistaken, my dear. I have no desire to debase my son or his good intentions. However, after months of meticulous experimentation, I've come to a solid conclusion that happens to prove his theory wrong." He gave her a sidelong glance. "This concoction had no real effect in your internal struggle against Cordelia. Of that, I am certain."

"And where is your evidence, sir?" Yuuki challenged, offended simply by association. Otherwise, she'd have never raised her voice against the King.

Allow somebody to erase the significance of Reiji's heartfelt efforts with a single sentence? Hell no!

He stuck the syringe into the flailing creature, and swiftly emptied out the treatment. Karlheinz let a minute or two pass. The dark gray mouse continued to spazz out on his hand, seemingly unaffected by the ordeal.

"There's your proof." He dropped the rodent back into the cage, equally unfazed by the result. "The potion does nothing."

Yuuki couldn't believe it. Refused to believe it. Something must have been wrong with his potion.

Picking up a new syringe, he nodded to the frowning girl – bidding her to come closer.

"This is the part where you'll have to trust me." Karlheinz said softly, as he rolled up her sleeve to prep her arm.

Yuuki understood his need to assure her. As the sacrificial bride, allowing anyone to toy with her powerful blood was an exercise in trust. She felt a painful sting as the needle penetrated her skin. He drew a few precious drops and turned back to cage to pick up the remaining white mouse.

When the blood was administered the animal, it grew still. A few seconds later, it perked up and sniffed the air curiously. The demonic element in its gaze had disappeared, along with the unnatural twitching.

"What just happened?"

"An exorcism, my dear. The creature that possessed the mouse was relatively harmless – seeing as it could only handle such a small host." Karlheinz stated as he placed the mouse gingerly in a separate cage, where it began to explore it's new home eagerly.

"No, I mean... _I_ did that?"

"Of course." He brought his hands together so that the pads of the fingertips touched each other. "You see, nothing was left to protect Cordelia's corrupt soul from your pure one. So you cleansed her completely and she ceased to exist."

"That doesn't make sense. Why would my blood simply delete her like that rather than heal her – when she's the original source?"

"The blood within you is no longer hers. It has properties she never knew." Karlheinz replied. "For example, hope is one quality she completely lacked."

"If it's a question of hope – surely, she could seek repentance for her crimes. Nobody's ever truly hopeless."

"No, she could never find retribution. She lost any chance of reaching paradise when she tried to cheat the afterlife. Her potential for goodness vanished the moment that she decided to kill my children. When my wretched brother turned his back on her, she ceased to be capable of love. Without those, how could she alter for the better?"

The way he said it sounded dreadful. Almost like he didn't really care about the dead woman.

"Have you no faith in your own wife?" Yuuki asked in a raspy whisper.

"No. Do you?"

"No," she answered truthfully after a moment. "I'm not angelic enough to think that karma was too cruel to her. In fact, Cordelia deserved a worse ending... _However,_ I have faith in her children. And she gave me a second chance at life by donating her heart. So for these things that she left behind, I'm forever grateful."

Karlheinz nodded sagely. "And I hope you remain grateful. It is what protects you from negative thoughts that will ultimately ruin your character."

The petite blonde opened her mouth but decided against saying anything when the King continued speaking.

"In any case, this discovery about your blood is truly spectacular. The more I learn about it, the more I am intrigued. Naturally, I would love to study it more but must force myself to be content with this. Again, I warn you, my dear. You're blood is a double-edged sword. Knowledge is a powerful tool but it will be in your best interest to watch that the people around you don't turn you into their little experiment. I felt that you deserved to see this, however, so I thank you for allowing me to do so."

The vampire king began to tidy up his work space, letting his advice settle. When he put away his last vial, the vampirette pulled his sleeve to catch his attention.

"Your Highness." Yuuki said, pink eyes grave with conviction. "Please, don't share this with anyone else. Keep it a secret."

He gave her a small, nearly apologetic smile. "A scientist is duty bound to report his results."

"You don't understand-!"

He held up a hand to stop her. "_What I understand _is that there may be an occasion in the future where Reiji's so-called cure will be needed and it will fail to provide any assistance. And then they will look for and likely discover the dangerous truth."

"But-!"

He lowered his voice. "You must realize, Miss Komori, that the supernatural world is aware of your presence. Word gets around. You are a puzzle that many would kill to solve the mystery of your survival."

Stunned, she hesitated in order to digest the bitter pill suddenly shoved down her throat.

"D-do you not realize how much damage you cause?" Yuuki cried out once she recovered from her shock.

Karlheinz blinked in surprise. "Excuse me?"

"Do you not realize," she repeated, "how profoundly your actions affect the lives of your sons? Let the world believe that my existence is a miracle – to hell with them!"

The vampirette drew closer to the vampire king, her tone darkening. "Your sons are standing. Right. In. Front. Of. You... You are so busy watching over the rest of the world that you are _blind_ to their struggles." She shook her head, sending her blonde locks flying.

_You don't understand, do you? You simply don't know how much Reiji needs that validation. And out of sheer ignorance, you'd crush his dreams and his self-image without a second thought!_

A growing sense of fury fueled her forward.

"I apologize for my boldness, Your Majesty, but I simply _must_ speak my mind."

"Then be frank, my dear."

She spread her hands out expressively in a helpless, angry, horrified, and desperate manner. Shaking as she articulated each bitter word.

"Get to know your own children. You've spent a – a _lifetime_ ignoring them and they've had to grow up completely on their own. You've made strangers out of your own family and-" Yuuki choked on a sob. "And they deserve all the recognition that they earned. God forbid you take that away from them."

Dumbfounded, an expressionless Karlheinz gazed down at the fragile creature that shuddered so powerfully beneath him before cupping her face.

"My dear, look at me."

She slowly did as her king commanded, sorely ashamed of her own necessary outburst.

"Please, sir..." Yuuki reiterated with better self-control. "Just don't let Reiji know. That's all I ask."

"I am too aged to pretend that there isn't any wisdom in what you say. And I've done worse things than allowing this matter to be covered up. Therefore, I will honor your request."

Yuuki clasped his wrists and bowed her head. For some reason, she felt that his concession was a defeat although her argument won out in the end. How many problems was he willing to bury and ignore?

_Karlheinz the Ostrich King. As long as you don't see it, the threat doesn't exist. _

It was such a sad mentality to have.

Closing her eyes, she finally released the film of tears that had built up. They promptly fell onto her feet. Conflicted, Karlheinz kindly pulled the vampirette into a loose embrace, holding her gently by the back of her head.

_Lord. How many things must I shed tears for? My pathetic nature knows no bounds._

She let her hands drop to the side and stood there for a good minute before a knock interrupted the moment.

Shu pushed the open door a little more so that he could poke his head in. "Father-"

"Yes, I'll be right there." Karlheinz answered briskly, as if he'd been expecting something all along. He walked out of the room and Shu moved aside to let him pass. When the Vampire King was out of sight, Shu glanced back to see Yuuki staring at the doorway.

The pair made eye-contact. Since she didn't seem to really have anything to say, she looked back down at the table. As she examined the book that Karlheinz had borrowed from Reiji, the vampirette heard Shu slip into the room and close the door behind him.

Yuuki paid him no mind and touched a yellowing page. She still couldn't believe that these detailed drawings and scrawls of notes were all for naught. In the end, the researchers who spent so much time and energy throughout the ages to create a cure for an aggravated awakening had failed.

Shu situated himself beside her. "Hey."

"Hi." Yuuki said, gently closing the book and putting it aside. She felt his gaze boring down on her every movement, so she turned her head to look at him. "Can I help you?"

"Yeah. I was hoping that you could explain some things for me." Shu replied, squatting down to peer at the mice.

"Mm. Such as...?"

He tapped the glass wall. "What's all this for?"

Yuuki clicked her tongue as she watched him torment the white mouse inside. "That's not what you really want to ask about, is it?"

Always at his own pace, the vampire took his time to stand back up before answering her question. His ocean blue eyes flashed with some unreadable thought.

"How should we put it?" Shu wondered aloud. "I've always known that you were dense and all but_ how defenseless can you get_?"

"Umm?"

"Seriously. I never imagined that you of all girls would allow that man to make a move on you."

"Whoa there, Shu! Your perverse train of thought escalated waaay too quickly." Yuuki cringed into herself. "And do you know how _old_ your father is? Like hell I'd even consider that road!"

The tall vampire scowled.

"Of course _you_ wouldn't think that, princess, but I wouldn't put it past _him_." Shu clarified. "Just watch yourself around that womanizer. He's even more perverted than I am."

Yuuki rolled her eyes. "You know, you sure are overreacting on the off-chance that he might one day become my father-in-law. Big deal if he gives me a hug."

"Judging by recent events," he said with an unconcerned yawn, "I wouldn't say that development is very likely."

Her brows furrowed. "What do you mean it's not likely?"

Shu exhaled in thinly-veiled disappointment and plopped down on a seat. He remained so quiet and still that Yuuki absently wondered if he fell asleep after a few minutes. Shaking her head, she opened the first cage to scoop up the shivering rodent.

_You must be terrified, little one. Should I give you some of my blood to ease your burden? Or would an intervention be overstepping my boundaries?_

The petite blonde stroked it with her finger to keep it from running around and jumping off her palm. She hummed a tune she'd heard spilling out of Shu's blasting earbuds. It did little to soothe the possessed being but the activity was calming nonetheless.

_You know, I could easily crush you and I could easily cure you. I wonder what kind of a monster I am to do neither._

"A little birdie told me that you've ended things with Ayato."

She immediately stiffened.

"It's not like Kanato's spreading rumors or anything." Shu elaborated with a second yawn as he stretched out. "He's just been playing stupid songs about broken hearts and mushy crap while fruitlessly trying to dye a wedding dress pitch black."

The mouse bit her in retaliation when she accidentally squeezed it too hard. Yuuki flinched and slowly eased the pressure of her hold without letting the squirming thing escape, slyly allowing it consume some of the blood that trickled down. She gingerly placed the sedated animal back into its home.

"Why would his strange behavior have anything to do with me?"

"Wrong answer." Shu replied as he stood to face her. "In any case, it's not hard to tell that since he's a demisexual who - to the extent of my knowledge - isn't crushing on anyone at the moment. I doubt he's mourning his own lack of a love life... It's obvious which couple that fanboy's grieving over."

"And what if I did?" Yuuki asked, moving away. She busied herself by feeding the mice.

Shu took a small step toward her, light blue pupils hardening like his voice.

"_Wh__y_?"

"What's it to you?"

The older vampire reached out to to grab her wrist and slowly pulled it away from her self-assigned task. She didn't resist.

"For one, breaking up with him opens a few possibilities..." Shu responded in a quiet voice, softly brushing his lips against her knuckles to plant a kiss on them. "Now that you won't be just a little sister."

Yuuki laughed coldly as she drew her hand back. "Look, Shu. That's a really flattering thought and all – but I didn't break up with Ayato just so I could get into another relationship."

"Oh, really?" Shu asked with a large dose of skepticism as he straightened. "What about Subaru, then?"

"What about him?"

"Did you give up on Ayato to go prancing off with Subaru?"

"No, Shu." Yuuki replied while her hands balled up into little fists at her sides. "I did it so that Ayato can be free to grow and develop himself."

"He changed plenty ever since you came into our lives."

The petite blonde shook her head. "If he does it for me, there's no guarantee that it'll be permanent. If he matures for his own sake... then it's an entirely different story. Same goes for me. If I act a certain way to please him, what's stopping me from reverting to my old manners once he's not a factor in my life? There's no... no _satisfaction_ in that kind of change. We need to become a better person on our own terms." Yuuki shrugged.

Shu twirled around his dangling earphones like a cowboy would a lasso. His bored expression was almost offensive before she reminded herself that the only thing he really had the patience to listen to was music.

"As for Subaru – he deserves a woman who treats better. I don't have the right to take that role."

_I will never turn him into my Plan B. He's worth more than that._

"Hmmm... You're trying too hard, princess."

"To explain myself?"

"To be the strong-independent-woman-who-need-no-man type of gal."

"I never said anything like that, Shu." She pushed against the edge of the table with the heel of her palms. "I'm just saying that I'm not looking for a rebound. On the other hand, if someone nice came along, I'd be willing to give them a chance."

"Would you give me a chance?" Shu asked, leaning his weight against the desk and she clutched the piece of furniture tightly.

"Do you want one?" Yuuki asked cautiously.

He pulled a strand of his wavy, blonde hair as he mulled over the verbal rebound.

"By default, I'm going to succeed the throne."

_Occupational hazard of being born as the High Prince, __right__?_

"In the case that all of my brothers fail to steal it from me," he drawled.

"_The unfortunate case." - your face tells me._

"I'll need to find something to make the ordeal more bearable."

_Sigh. Well, at least you aren't in denial about your feelings._

"Something or _someone_. In this lengthy and tiring vein of thought, I reach the point:_ I need a queen_, Yuuki."

_Uhh._

His final words were loaded with significance. "I prefer that she would be you."

"..."

Shu pushed off the table with his hip and walked over to her. A wry, teasing smile graced his face.

"What do you say, Yuuki? Would you ever consider marrying me?"

"... Okay."

He halted, taken aback by her briefness.

"I could be your bride. I wouldn't mind."

By the shock that registered on his face, she figured that he was probably joking all along.

"Why?"

"Why not?" Yuuki countered with a shy smile as he dwarfed her.

"Didn't you love Ayato?" Shu inquired, his voice dropping low because they were standing so close together.

"Oh, don't do that," she chided, slightly turning away from him so that he was behind her. "Surely, Ayato would make my life an adventure, but..." She inhaled deeply through her nose. "With you, I could be at peace."

Shu frowned as he placed a hand on her waist, drawing her closer.

"I'd never love you the way I love him." Yuuki mumbled to herself.

"Does that mean," he whispered in her ear, "that you'd never do it with me?"

The vampirette mimicked his grimace.

"I never_ did it_ with Ayato." Yuuki replied firmly, annoyed that anyone would even question her virginity.

"I know." Shu said as he started to run his fingers up and down the length of her side. Although the intimate touch made her shiver, Yuuki realized that it didn't possess the kind of energy that Ayato sparked in her. "But it was getting there."

_He is a beautiful tornado driven by passion. Unpredictable and thrilling. Destroying everything in its path. You? You are a the steady beat of a drum. Unchanging, unmoved. Will I tire from your constancy? _

She chewed on the inside of her cheek.

_No._

_I am not as impatient as Cordelia. I can be content with boredom._

"It would be expected of me to bear your heirs, would it not?" Yuuki finally answered.

The vampire stopped groping her, nearly insulted by her sheer apathy towards his actions.

"This proposal is just like a business deal to you, isn't it?" Shu growled in disgust.

The petite blonde looked up at him over her shoulder, still melded against him.

"Let's be honest – I need your security, you need my power. It seems like a fair exchange."

He ruffled his curly mop of hair. "Why do you need security? You're a vampire now."

"Because I'm not liable only for myself, Shu. I have Hitomi under my care. And I won't be able to protect her unless I maintain my ties with your family."

"... You would marry for the sake of that child?"

"I would. She's my responsibility. No matter what happens, I have an obligation toward her." Her pink eyes searched his expression. "You understand, don't you? _You_ also have a duty to uphold."

Shu felt the bile rise in the back of his throat.

"I never asked to be the High Prince." His voice cracked and he looked away from the vampirette. "To be tangled in this ridiculous mess."

Yuuki touched his jaw to turn his face so that he could not escape her probing gaze.

"So, when you accuse me of unfairly treating this as a business deal," she said solemnly, "I must ask – are you proposing to me, the sacrificial bride, out of obligation?"

Karlheinz wanted to die. As an immortal being, that would only happen if he was killed. And that was only possible if there was a vampire out there capable of overwhelming him. Only she was capable of granting the strength needed to do so through her blood, which could be considered a ticket to the throne.

Consequently, the sacrificial bride was a risky role to play.

Yuuki mulled over these concrete facts as the eldest candidate brought his hands up to pull her fair locks to one side.

"No. I believe that I could come to enjoy your company." Shu stated as he moved in for the bite.

_Does that mean you simply tolerated my company so far?_

She didn't bother to voice her uncertainty as she mentally prepared herself for his assault. Instead of piercing her neck, he kissed her collarbone. Yuuki let out a surprised mewl. Then, the petite blonde gently pushed against his broad chest.

"Same," she said once he pulled away. "I think I could come to love you as a husband..."

Shu and Yuuki were on the same page. Their marriage might turn out to be a cold and uncomplicated and impersonal affair, yet it would prevent potentially worse things from happening. Things that were worth giving up their individual freedoms. And because they were totally honest with each other from the start, maybe something more would grow from there. Who knew?

_And why rush? We have eternity._

* * *

A/N: Betcha didn't see_ THAT ONE_ coming! *ducks to avoid the flying tomatoes*

On a very different note, I visited a relative while writing this chapter and realized that I was in the exact same spot where I first watched Diabolik Lovers. It was very strange coming back after a year to where it all started with "Revised" and knowing that you only have 15 or so chapters left until this journey is over. I had a lot of fuzzy feels that night.

(And poor Reiji. Always the side character with the shortest straw. Even I was horrified when Karlheinz dropped that bomb on me as I was writing out the casual dialogue. I was all like, "_How dare you ruin his most significant contribution you little piece of poop?! Grr!"_ until one of my former college friends calmed me down and helped me sort out this predicament. Sheesh, Karlheinz. Way to distract me from the plot =_=)

Now, dear readers, I will leave you to weep in misery as Yuuki dooms herself to a life of boredom (aka the curse of the privileged). *runs away with a cackle*

EDIT: Made a few significant changes because I felt that the characters were acting a little too OOC. It troubles me when they get carried away.


	65. The Lion King's Tale

"Sir?"

"Yes, my dear?"

"I was wondering for awhile now..." The petite blonde bit her lip shyly. "Actually, never mind."

"You need not censor yourself. Ask away."

"Um. Why did you take more than one wife?"

"The Vampire King is entitled to three consorts for the sake of ensuring the birth of an heir."

"With six sons to boast, surely that couldn't have been your only motivation."

"And if I said that it was?"

"I would be forced to assume something unsavory about your character."

Karlheinz laughed heartily and looked up from his work.

"Well, I doubt that my story would change your judgment. Would you like to hear it anyway?"

"Yes please."

"Settle down then, my dear."

Yuuki obeyed and plopped onto an embroidered floor cushion like a child preparing for story time. Karlheinz set aside the papers he had been writing on with a finely crafted fountain pen and turned himself to face her.

"Where should I begin?"

"With Cordelia, I presume?"

"Ah, of course. But before that, let me say that my relationship with her has somewhat soured after learning how she has harmed you. In any case," Karlheinz cleared his throat. "I married my first wife because the Demon Lord's daughter was supposed to be the salvation of my kingdom. She was naive and proud and beautiful. Despite her many charming qualities befitting any court lady, I shortly realized she was unfit to be a ruler. She was far too – and I say this in the kindest manner possible – self-centered and frivolous to care for a nation."

"I can attest to that. Responsibility was not among her many _charming_ qualities."

He nodded solemnly. "No, I'm afraid not. Further, the Royal Demoness was fairly unpopular amongst my vassals unless they happened to be sleeping with her."

Yuuki was taken aback by the lack of ceremony with which he said it. "Umm..."

"There were many rumors claiming that she was inviting others into her bed chambers," the Vampire King explained. "I am well aware of my mate's scandalous reputation. She was a bit of an exhibitionist, you see. And very vocally talented when she wanted to be."

The young vampirette felt a little sick. "So you turned away from her and took in another."

"Yes. Lady Beatrix was the most refined vampiress I had ever had the fortune to meet. I could rely on her. And so, I married her for the sake of the kingdom. She bore me two splendid sons. I was satisfied with this and knew she was capable of raising them well along with maintaining my household while I attended to other business." He rapped his fingers against his right knee. "But playful Cordelia, who had not one inclination towards motherhood, grew jealous. While Beatrix sat next to me on the throne, Cordelia stood beside me in order to whisper sweet seductions into my ear. I entertained my wife. And she happily became pregnant with twins. Laito – who was conceived in the throne room itself, out of spite perhaps – split within her womb, so she delivered a third runt. I refuse to believe that Kanato may have been Richter's child. I bedded my wife multiple times during that early period and I doubt she was left unsatisfied enough to desire anyone else."

"Oh." Yuuki paused in order to swallow this shocking revelation. Kanato. Possibly illegitimate? How awful. And how ironic that Laito was conceived on the throne itself, in which case Ayato was born with the same status. Nobody could deny the fact that the latter had nobility running through his veins even if they despised the fact that he was a half-blood prince, son of the Demon Lord's daughter. And then to fall in love with the Sacrificial Bride who possessed his mother's very heart! It was almost as if he was fated to become the Vampire King.

She cocked her head and asked the current one, "You did not investigate to find the truth of the matter?"

"Why should I? An investigation would only reveal that the child was either mine or my brother's and nothing more. We are too close genetically to have been able to differentiate with the technology that existed back in the day. As children, we had bitten each other quite a few times as well. Besides, _I_ was the man who took responsibility for Cordelia's children and provided them a means to live. Even if only in name, I am still his father... Even if she is unfaithful to me, I am still her husband."

"Did you love her?"

"No, my dear. I did not love that woman. I gave her everything but my heart. Do you know what she told me when I went to see my three new boys?"

"What?"

"Exhausted from the three days of labor, she held Laito in her arms while Kanato slept on her lap. So I personally carried the smallest infant – freshly returned to us from his first bath. Cordelia looked up at me and triumphantly declared: _See this one? He is Laito, your present to me. He will __be my__divine __pleasure. And this is his younger brother Kanato. He will be __my__ amusement._ So I looked down at the boy in my arms. _And this child?_\- I asked. She smiled then, a cruel smile. _That_, she said, _is my revenge. Your heir, Ayato. He will be the proof my success._"

"So you knew of her intentions from the start?"

"Oh yes. She dedicated her least beloved son to me because I had dared to make another woman my true partner. Like one who cannot seriously be angered by a child's antics, however, I didn't mind her trouble-making ways. Until one particular incident, that is."

"What happened?"

"Cordelia refused to nurse her youngest son even though the baby's shrieks could be heard throughout the palace. With her two older boys already latched onto her breasts, she kept saying, _Let him drink blood! Let him drink blood! Let that boy be a true vampire! What king relies on the comfort of his mother? Let Ayato grow up and find comfort between another woman's legs for all I care!"_ Karlheinz laced his hands together and placed them on his lap. "After hearing this speech, Beatrix scooped down to pick up the babe and let him drink from her own milk. She had just miscarried around this time, mind you. We were both devastated to lose our little princess."

"Beatrix was pregnant with a third child?"

"Cordelia began her shenanigans as soon as we received the happy news... The triplets were meant to have a sister their age because they were bound to be premature." The Vampire King smiled sadly. "I am very grateful to Beatrix for stepping up to become Ayato's wet nurse. In doing so, she became a second mother to him. She did all everything without any desire for recognition or praise. We even kept this affair a secret to preserve her dignity as a Queen. I find it somewhat painful to admit that even the boys do not know of the great debt he owes her."

"And yet those two women continued to be so hostile towards each other? You never stopped Cordelia from bullying Beatrix at every opportunity?"

"She is my first wife, after all. They were beloved members of my family and I refused to pick favorites."

"But the situation was clearly complicated, so why bring Christa into the fray?"

At this question, Karlheinz inhaled deeply and diverted his gaze away from his student. Yuuki's eyes widened when she saw a broken man before her for a split second.

"I'm sorry, sir. These are clearly very intimate details and I-I should have not pushed you to share them."

The elderly vampire wordlessly gestured for her to stay where she was. The petite blonde hushed herself and waited patiently for him to continue if he so desired.

"I... I've barely spoken about her since passed away." Karlheinz finally voiced, turning his intense golden eyes back to meet her pink lemonade ones. "She was my rose, my cousin. I loved Christa for many, many years before deciding to court her. She agreed to be my wife despite her fragility. We had never... We hesitated to let our mutual feelings be known because we feared that she would not have the stamina to take such a dangerous and taxing role as the Vampire Queen."

_Did she gain courage now that two others shared the weight of that role? _Yuuki thought to herself, refusing to interrupt him to ask.

"It seems I pushed her too far in the end. I didn't realize my flaw until after I consummated the marriage. And once Subaru came into the world, her mentality began to crumble. It was hard for me to see her break down. She occasionally would go into fits and attack the people around her. On one occasion, she almost strangled her sleeping baby had I not managed to stop her. Some time later, we were forced to confine her to a tower for her own safety. And, as I understand it, she eventually managed to convince her little boy to take her life..."

The King blinked away a thin film of tears, his voice gruff with emotion that he was not allowed to show on any occasion. So the vampirette saw her future father-in-law dispel the moment of weakness, covering the still-bleeding wound with a hard shell. It was the mask – the armor he donned every waking moment.

"It is the most tragic romance I've had the misfortune of experiencing." Karlheinz concluded. "But it was certainly harder for Subaru, who I could not look at for many years. He took after his lovely mother and their uncanny resemblance was most painful. Sadly but understandably, my youngest son grew distant from me. I never had the gall to scold him for his delinquent behaviors. Even as his father, I do not have the right... You are fidgeting, child. What is the matter?"

Yuuki retreated a bit before saying, "Subaru believes that... He told me that you raped Christa and he was a product of that incident. Is that true?"

Karlheinz frowned and stared off into the middle distance.

"That may be the case," he mused dishearteningly. "If Christa was indeed unwilling that night, I am definitely responsible for hurting her. Some people are stupid enough to think that a husband's unwanted advances are never..." The vampire trailed off. "I am an evil, evil man, Miss Komori. If Subaru blames me and claims that, then let him do so. It may lift some dark burden from his shoulders and his conscience."

"You do not hate him for killing your lover?"

"He was a mere child at the time! He had no inkling about the severity of his misguided actions. No, I do not hate any of my offspring. When Christa passed away long before her time, I resolved to protect the rest of my family. I moved them to Japan, away from the nobles and politics and such distractions. The English wouldn't miss us. We spent about a decade in this beautiful country living in peace until a vampire hunter tracked us down and murdered Beatrix. A few months later, I lost Cordelia at the hands of her children."

"How were they punished?"

"They weren't. Vampire Law is much more lenient when it comes to death. Hunters are allowed to exist because they keep us immortals in check. There are many individuals who refuse to obey my administration so I rely on the hunters to protect their fellow humans against any rogues. I am good friends with one such individual, actually."

"Sorry, I meant to ask whether or not the triplets were punished."

"Nor they, my dear. Cordelia was their mother. Any killings that occur within a family are unregulated by other supernaturals – _especially_ if they are deemed to be acts of love. The reason why I sent Ayato away was because he laid his hands on a member of another clan. We cannot afford to have any bad blood because a grudge may easily last longer than a century. Angering another group for no good reason is an unspoken taboo."

"So Ayato was punished for _who_ he killed, not for the act of killing." Yuuki summarized disdainfully. Long after she had come to terms with their circumstances, she still felt a little disgusted.

"This is the way of our people. It is why humans paint us as monsters." Karl Heinz shook his head. "But just as we are capable of great destruction, we are capable of immense good. It is the duty of the royalty to secretly protect the human population as we simultaneously feed on them. We take on this role with humility, knowing that our contributions, our efforts, will never be known and recognized by a vast majority of the very people we serve. We are not monsters, my dear. We are intelligent and elegant. Our system, which seems barbarous at first glance, is filled with intricate regulations to counter our primal natures. This is what I am training you to understand. I have spent the past couple of weeks teaching you so that you may come to be fluent in our language and culture. Over the next couple of years, I intend to give you a liberal arts education befitting the next Vampire Queen."

"Um. Recently, I've... realized that my actions will affect your entire nation. Seeing that I don't even know anything about the vampires outside of this estate, don't you think it's a bit unfair to your people?"

"Not at all. We've always elected the strongest and most capable to rule. At the moment, that would be the girl who fulfills the prophecy and her mate." He gave her a pointed look. "Not to mention that since the beginning of my reign until now, the Sakamaki clan has the most concentrated amount of power. The supernatural world continues to support us and expects us to continue bearing this role."

"I'm not disputing the Sakamakis' strength. All of your sons are equally capable individuals."

"Indeed."

"But surely you have an idea about who should succeed you."

"I would be happy to have any of them take this burden off my shoulders."

"Please, sir. Answer me seriously. I am very troubled by this matter."

"Who do you think deserves this place, then?"

"My judgment would be clouded by my personal ties with them."

"I am asking for your opinion, my dear. Nothing more."

The petite blonde sighed. "Well, I am aware that both Kanato and Subaru have no ambition to seize the throne. So that leaves the other four."

"Cordelia's and Beatrix's spawn, eh? Their rivalry still continues even after they've passed."

"So it would seem."

"Out of these, you know perfectly well who will take the crown from me."

Yuuki hesitated. "_Sir_?"

"You have already chosen Ayato as your partner in life, have you not?"

"Uh, _no_..." She blushed profoundly. "I am weary of choosing someone unsuited for the task because of my selfish desire to pursue a romance."

"Do you not believe him to be worthy?"

"That's not it. I just don't know if Ayato is a better option compared to the others. What if somebody else deserves it more than he does? Do I have the right to sway that debate before they even have a chance to prove themselves? I was hoping you would be able to give me some advice so that I know who I _should_ support. Because I _could_ support any one of them."

"You should support whoever you wish. But I will tell you what I think of the four. Shu is prepared to take my position at a moment's notice. I know he may seem lazy and unmotivated at the moment, but he is very reliable and trustworthy. Rather, consider him dormant if anything because I know Beatrix has equipped him with every tool to rule. Reiji is the same. He would be a very politically saavy king. I find that child to be incredibly perceptive. He never oversteps his boundaries although he has an impressive amount of talent compared to all of his peers. You would be wise to make an ally out of him. I would be content if you chose either of them to be your husband. Laito, too, shows much promise. He is the most diplomatic out of the six. I've never known him to make an enemy out of anyone. Like Reiji, he would take out any opposition behind the scenes rather than directly confront the problem. The people will find him a charming and charismatic ruler and are sure to follow him anywhere. As his wife, however, you may find him a little treacherous and the history books will note his little adventures with amusement. I must advise you to never let that destroy your relationship, though. He is capable of much loyalty and I can say that he will be highly supportive of whatever you do. And Ayato... Well, you probably know him better than I do. He is a passionate young man. If you can provide him direction, he will be able to accomplish many incredible things. His mother's spartan treatment toughened his spirit. She prepared him in her own way from his childhood. He will be straightforward with his people and fiercely protective of them if ever any danger threatens them. In times of peace, I can see him to be kind and just. He also enjoys his fair share of fun so I can imagine that he will be a patron of the arts and sciences. If he is provided with a trustworthy team of close advisers, I expect our race to experience some sort of a golden age under his reign... What do you think, my dear?"

"I think I have misjudged you, sir. You know your family much better than I gave you credit for... I finally realize how much pride you have in them."

Karlheinz bowed his head briefly. "Naturally."

"If Kanato or Subaru ever changes their mind, what would you say about them?"

"Hah. Kanato would be a very unpredictable king. He is something of a genius in his own right. I assume he would do something special to the nature of the system itself. He notices patterns before anybody else realizes them. I know that he has taken a liking to art recently. It is a very good occupation for him. He takes things that he sees through a special lens and interprets them in ways that nobody has imagined. I honestly do not know how he would rule if he decided to utilize his power. No, I see him as a follower. He would let you take the wheel for the most part and offer some beautiful insights along the way. Subaru is also more suited to become a military general than a king. Send him off to an army in some man-made war in the Middle East and you will immediately witness his rise in ranks. My youngest son is too hot-headed to rule alone. But if you so desire to make him your mate, know that he will be a great asset to your kingdom. Subaru will strengthen your people and squash any rebellion. He is strong unlike his meek and quiet mother, the White Rose. Expect that boy to be decisive and loyal. That, then, is my analysis."

"Thank you, sir. You have alleviated much of my former confusion."

"Trust your heart, my dear. You've already shown signs of wisdom far beyond your years. Use my sons to your greatest advantage and I will gladly leave my kingdom in your hands. They will all provide the best service you could ever ask for."

"I know. I hope I can live up to everybody's expectations."

Yuuki stood up from her cushion, which had flattened underneath her weight after their long discussion. She curtsied to her king before straightening her posture, her jaw set firmly with some quiet conviction.

"You will, my dear. Do not worry about that. Focus on building your foundation right now and everything will fall into place. In the meanwhile, let Ayato and my other boys establish their own worth."

"Yes sir."

* * *

**A/N:** HAPPY HOLIDAYS! I intended to write this up a day or two ago as a Christmas present since I know y'all lovely readers have been waiting so patiently for me to update. Alas, life got in the way and I was delayed by a couple dozen hours. (I was damn tired after that layover so I didn't have the energy to write lol) Yeah so... I'm _not_ dead, guys. I've just been going through published chapters and fixing them up. Also, I've renamed "Epilogues and Extras" since _that_ title just doesn't fit anymore.

And if you've missed the memo, here it is:

**After reading some of the previous chapters, I'm come to the sad realization that much of my writing is incredibly juvenile. Yuuki has been coming across as "preachy" recently and it defeats the entire purpose of this series if she's just as annoying as Yui. Her actions should always make sense without me needing to justify them after-the-fact. So I've just finished editing/reworking on "Revised" and am now moving onto the existing portion of this sequel. Please don't expect any new chapters for awhile and thank you for your patience.**

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this latest installment. I thought it would be nice to get some honest perspective from Karlheinz about his life for once. Most of this stuff is all made up by moi besides the fact that Christa is supposedly his cousin (that is canon, peeps, so don't lash out on me for that little detail). The fact that he tells all of these secrets to Yuuki really shows how much the two have come to trust each other ^u^ Also, more Shu drama coming up in the near future. Please don't throw your footwear at his beautiful face - that's Ayato's job 3


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